Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1520619
At the heart of our union's excellent research and education programs is the recognition that our patients' health is deeply connected to the social conditions they experience. I am proud that the union's programs give nurses the knowledge and leadership skills we need to address the root causes of injustice in our workplaces and the world. They sup- port us with valuable resources, and collective tools to address injustice, and build a healthy and just world for our patients and our communities." — Brenda Langford, RN CNA/NNOC Board Member Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Ill. EDUCATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY, AND RESEARCH The Education division provides member education workshops as well as continuing education courses that complement courses offered by the Nursing Practice department. Educators use tools from their research and teaching backgrounds to design classes that explore various aspects of the social determinants of health, health care industry trends, and their ramifications for patient advocacy. The Social Justice and Equity division provides training, resources, leadership development, and coordination of our union's fights for racial, gender, economic, health care, and environmental justice. The division supports nurses in developing our skills and understanding of social justice unionism with the goal of building a healthy and just world for all people. The Research division provides political and economic policy analysis in health care and other industries. In collaboration with NNOC and NNU as a whole, Research helps develop and articulate strategic approaches in addition to creating reports to illustrate the current health care crisis in this country. Research produces studies on hospital pricing and medical debt such as the report, "Fleecing Patients: Hospitals Charge More Than Four Times the Cost of Care." " The Organization »