Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1531149
RNs in Motion » 9 1993 Staff RN majority elected to CNA Board of Directors for the first time in CNA history on a platform promoting patient advocacy and challenging unsafe hospital restructuring. CNA introduces first RN-to-patient ratios legislation for all acute-care units, A.B. 1445. 1995 CNA Convention overwhelmingly votes to become an independent organization, severing ties with American Nurses Association. 1996 CNA wins Department of Health Services, Title 22 changes strengthening RNs' ability to advocate for patients in California. Provisions include floating protections and requirement that every patient be assessed by an RN at least once during a shift. 1997–1998 7,500 CNA Kaiser Permanente RNs wage 18-month epic battle, including six strikes, with HMO giant, beating back major takeaways and making significant gains in staffing protections. 1999 California passes first-in-the-nation law, A.B. 394, sponsored by CNA, mandating minimum RN-to-patient ratios for all hospital units. CNA also wins whistle-blower protections for health care employees who expose unsafe hospital conditions. 2001 CNA wins unprecedented organizing pact with Catholic Healthcare West (CHW). Within one year, CNA wins elections at nine CHW hospitals, significantly increasing membership in mostly unorganized Southern California. Note: These hospitals are now CommonSpirit. 2003 CNA wins elections in Tenet Healthcare hospitals throughout California, which was the largest, mostly nonunion, chain in the West. 2004 RN safe staffing ratios implemented in all California acute- care hospitals. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attacks ratios, leading to CNA protests throughout California. CNA goes national by forming the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) in response to overwhelming demand by direct-care nurses across the United States. CNA organizes first nurse-to-nurse relief assistance with Sri Lanka Public Services United Nurses Union to assist with tsunami relief efforts. 2005 CNA organizes Hurricane Katrina relief effort, sending more than 300 RN volunteers to 25 health care facilities. Following the disaster, the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) is established as a direct-care nurse disaster relief group. 1,800 Cook County, Ill. RNs vote to join NNOC, the new national counterpart of CNA. 2006 Maine State Nurses Association (MSNA) votes to join NNOC. 2007 Saint Mary's RNs in Reno, Nev. vote to join NNOC, making it the first Nevada hospital to affiliate with NNOC. NNOC wins breakthrough multi-state organizing pact with Tenet Healthcare, one of the largest for RNs in United States history, covering 6,500 RNs. 2008 1,100 RNs at three Las Vegas CHW hospitals vote to join NNOC. Note: These hospitals are now CommonSpirit. 2009 Unanimous vote creates largest RN union in U.S. history: National Nurses United (NNU) with 150,000 RNs in all 50 states. 7,000 Veterans Affairs (VA) RNs in 22 VA hospitals in 11 states affiliate with National Nurses United.