Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/198027
Letter from the Council of Presidents Welcome to a new era of nursing. As we begin the decade, the power of nurses to advocate for their patients and shape healthcare policy has never been greater. When 150,000 nurses in the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, Massachusetts Nurses Association and United American Nurses came together to form National Nurses United at the end of last year, we didn't just build a bigger organization. We found our collective voice as a profession. It is an exciting moment for RNs everywhere, as we finally begin working together nationally to improve working conditions for nurses, bring union representation to all nonunion RNs, raise patient care standards and create a just and effective healthcare system. In this premier issue of National Nurse magazine, we take a look inside NNU, and answer your questions about the new RN super-union. Already, National Nurses United has successfully faced several tests of our determination and solidarity. When a devastating earthquake rocked Haiti in early January, NNU nurses immediately volunteered by the thousands to tend victims of the disaster. You can read about the relief effort inside. When federal lawmakers failed to pass meaningful healthcare reform legislation, we responded with an ambitious campaign to win universal healthcare at the state level, one state at a time. In the News section, NNU legislative advocate Donna Smith and National Nurse acting editor Felicia Mello explain what's next in the fight for healthcare for all. Also in the News section, you can read about NNU's first organizing victory, at MountainView Hospital in Las NATIONAL NURSE,™ (ISSN pending) The Voice of National Nurses United, January-February 2010 Volume 106/1 is published by National Nurses United, 2000 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612-2908. It provides news of organizational activities and reports on developments of concern to all registered nurses across the nation. It also carries general coverage and commentary on matters of nursing practice, community and public health, and healthcare policy. It is published monthly except for combined issues Vegas, Nevada, where hundreds of RNs voted by 61% to join CNA/NNOC in January. Welcome to our sister and brother RNs in Nevada! More challenges lie ahead, and solving them will require the efforts of each one of us. By joining National Nurses United, you've already become a part of history. Now it's time for us as RNs to move forward and make history together. National Nurse is the magazine of National Nurses United, which means it's your magazine. We are committed to bringing you the latest news in healthcare and nursing, and providing you with the information you need to be the best possible patient advocate. Each month—with combined issues in January-February and July-August—we will let you know how other NNU nurses around the country are organizing around issues like safe staffing, workplace violence and retirement security. And our feature stories will explore the trends shaping healthcare today, from new technology to racial disparities in care. We also want to hear your ideas! Please take a minute to send an email to nationalnurse@nationalnursesunited.org, and let us know what you'd like to read about in these pages. You can also follow us on Twitter at @NationalNurses. It's a thrilling time to be a nurse in America. We look forward to working with you in the months and years to come to advance our practice and our profession. Let's make this the decade that affordable, high-quality healthcare becomes a reality for every woman, man and child in this country. Deborah Burger, RN | Karen Higgins, RN | Jean Ross, RN National Nurses United Council of Presidents in January and February, and July and August. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California. POSTMASTER: send address changes to National Nurse, 2000 ™ Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612-2908. To send a media release or announcement, fax (510) 663-0629. National Nurse™ is carried on the NNU website at www.nationalnursesunited.org. For permission to reprint articles, write to Editorial Office. To subscribe, send $40 ($45 foreign) to Subscription Department. Please contact us with your story ideas They can be about practice or management trends you've observed, or simply something new you've encountered in the profession. They can be about one nurse, unit, or hospital, or about the wider landscape of healthcare policy from an RN's perspective. They can be humorous, or a matter of life and death. If you're a writer and would like to contribute an article, please let us know. You can reach us at nationalnurse@nationalnursesunited.org. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Rose Ann DeMoro ACTING EDITOR Felicia Mello GRAPHIC DESIGN Jonathan Wieder COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Charles Idelson CONTRIBUTORS Gerard Brogan, RN, Hedy Dumpel, RN, JD, Jan Rabbers, Donna Smith, David Schildmeier, Ann Kettering Sincox PHOTOGRAPHY Jaclyn Higgs, Lauren Reid