Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1521816
RNs in Motion » 43 Education, Social Justice and Equity, and Research The Education division develops and provides continuing education courses to complement the courses offered by the Nursing Practice program. Our educators use tools from their research and teaching backgrounds to design classes that explore in depth a variety of aspects of the political economy of nursing 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, the Research division helps develop and articulate strategic approaches, in addition to creating reports that illustrate the current health care crisis in this country. Communications Communications ensures that the voice of direct-care RNs is prominently heard throughout electronic, print, and social media on a wide range of nursing, patient protection, and health care policy issues. The department also produces National Nurse magazine and other materials to inform RNs about critical develop- ments affecting members, fellow RNs, and patients. The department also develops and maintains the organiza- tion's online and social media presence. Executive Office The executive office works closely with the Board of Directors to implement the policies and programs of the organization, including the development of state and national policy on health care issues, worker protection, and patient advocacy legislation. The executive office provides oversight and ensures integration of all depart- ments and programs. PROGRAMS Registered Nurse Response Network The seeds of the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) were first planted when, in the days following the 2004 South Asian tsunami, the union's offices were flooded by calls from RNs across the nation frustrated by the scarcity of volunteer opportunities for direct-care nurses. When Hurricane Katrina hit the following year, no time was wasted. By the time the floodwaters were receding, more than 300 RNs were placed in understaffed public hospitals, triage clinics, and other facilities throughout the Gulf Region. RNRN was officially launched the following year. When the devastating 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, RNRN's roster of RN volunteers grew to more than 14,000. RNs were dispatched to relieve exhausted nurses aboard the USNS Comfort, which treated the most severely injured. Teams of RNs worked alongside local Haitian doctors and nurses at Sacré Coeur Hospital, located 80 miles north of Port-au-Prince, in the months following the quake. Other major RNRN deployments include Hurricane Sandy (2012), the Philippines' Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda (2013), missions aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship, Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota (2016), Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and Houston, Texas after Hurricane Harvey (2017), Florida after Hurricane Michael (2018), Guatemala for basic medical care after a volcanic eruption (2018), aid to refugee families at a Tucson border shelter (2019), and Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian (2022). The RNRN roster of volunteers has grown to more than 28,850 RNs. Sign up to volunteer and/or donate at: www.rnresponsenetwork.org.