National Nurses United

8 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 WRAP-UP REPORT California LONG BEACH registered nurses at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract in December 2019, which included protections to improve patient safety. The agreement, which covers more than 2,100 nurses, is the result of nearly a year of bargaining, an informational picket, and a rally. "We now have improvements in this new contract to better protect our patients and staff," said Rose Polidore, an RN in the ortho/neuro unit. "Nurses were united and did not let management divide us." One of these important improvements was the addition of lift teams for safe patient handling. "We negotiated to create the lift team because it protects both the patients and the staff," said Evy Gomez, an RN in the cardiac monitoring unit and member of the bargaining team. "It's often not safe for one person to lift or reposition a patient. The ability to use a lift team will cut down on patient falls and staff injuries." Other contract highlights include work- place violence protection language, improved floating provisions, and economic gains and health benefit protections, with a minimum of a 9.5 percent wage increase over the term of the contract. In addition, RNs with 20 or more years of service receive a $1,000 bonus. —Chuleenan Svetvilas STATEWIDE california nurses Association (CNA) board member Dolores Trujillo, RN, of Sacramento was appointed in January to a four-year position on the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). The nine- member board regulates registered nurses in order to protect the public by setting RN educational standards, approving California nursing programs, evaluating licensure applications, and more. Four board posi- tions are filled by members of the public and five are registered nurses. "We could not be more proud," said Bonnie Castillo, RN, executive director of CNA and National Nurses United. "Her skills, experience, and compassion will be instrumental in helping to shape the practice of registered nursing in this state." Trujillo, who has been a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center since 2010 and an RN and charge nurse at Kaiser's Sacramento facility from 2000 to 2010, says she is thrilled to be a voice for her fellow nurses. "I am both honored and humbled to be appointed to the BRN," said Trujillo. "I intend to bring the voice of the bedside nurse to this appointment, and to stand up for the issues impacting our profession. I will do right in advocating for registered nurses throughout California." Veterans Health Administration since december, veterans and RNs have hosted town halls in California, Florida, and Washington, D.C. to educate the public on the current threats to the VA health care system and strategize on how best to protect this vital institution for all veterans. Nurses and veterans are calling on Congress to protect the VA from privatization efforts and to fully staff and fund the VA so it can continue to provide the highest quality of care to our nation's veterans. "As a nurse and the daughter and step- daughter of retired service members, I know that the VA health care system is a vital asset that we must protect from those who seek to weaken it," said Sarah Kahlich, RN and steward with NNOC/NNU. At the town hall meeting, a recently released report, "Retaining Effective and Sound Programs for Excellent Care and Treatment (RESPECT) for Veterans" was shared. The report is a detailed synthesis of more than 90 primary sources, laying out data showing how VA health care is superior to the private sector by many measures, including access, quality, and cost. "I believe, as veterans, we have very unique physical and mental health needs that the civilian community does not understand," said Rusty Brown, American Legion Post Service Officer, Corpsman U.S. Navy (retired). "Our confidence is with the VA and the providers that understand our specific needs." —Staff report From left: RNs at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center celebrated a new three-year contract ratification; nurses with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) joined veteran patients in Lake City, Fla. for a town hall to discuss protecting and improving the VHA. NEWS BRIEFS

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