Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/198042
NewsBriefs:2 9/2/09 4:26 PM Page 9 WRAP-UP REPORT Hundreds of Florida RNs this summer attended CNA/NNOC continuing education courses in Ft. Lauderdale, Daytona, and Tampa and are strategizing about submitting 2010 ratio legislation in their state. Illinois cna/nnoc registered nurses showed their community spirit for the third consecutive year by participating in the 80th Annual Bud Billiken Day Parade on Aug. 8. The Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic is the oldest and largest African-American parade in the country and is broadcast on multiple television channels. Billiken is a fictional character created by the founder of the Chicago Defender newspaper, Robert S. Abbott, in 1923. During the Great Depression, the Bud Billiken character served as a symbol of pride, happiness, and hope for black residents. The character gained prominence in a comic strip and the Chicago Defender newspaper. The parade started in 1929 as a celebration of "unity in diversity for the children of Chicago." This year CNA/NNOC nurses joined with other nurses from throughout Chicagoland area to show unity and support for this annual community event designed to emphasize the importance of education. School supplies, book bags, and other donations were collected to distribute to needy children and encourage them to stay in school. Thanks to all the nurses who helped to make the 80th annual Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic a tremendous success. Cook County RNs prepare school supply donations for Chicago students J U LY | A U G U S T 2 0 0 9 Maine maine rns at Down East Community Hospital represented by MSNA/CNA/NNOC are supporting state intervention and change of management at their community hospital. In July, the state put the hospital in emergency receivership and ousted the CEO after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid informed the hospital that it would no longer provide federal reimbursement due to the hospital's failure to correct serious lapses in provision of care and management even after multiple warnings. Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) is serving as temporary receiver. Bedside nurses are calling on the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to ensure continuous quality care by guaranteeing safe staffing and requiring transparency of the corporate structure. "We will continue to provide excellent patient care to this community and work with EMHS and DHHS during this process," said Robert Simpson, RN and the top union leader at Down East. "We support structural changes within the governance of DECH. These changes should allow for open input from hospital employees and the community regarding the provision of quality care to all citizens of Washington County." Nurses and other caregivers expect that whatever corporate structure is implemented requires transparency, accessibility, and accountability from the Board of Trustees or governing body. With that goal in mind, MSNA/CNA/NNOC is proposing that the new governing body adopt these provisions: publish guidelines for decision-making and the process for appointing new board members; allow public access to Board of Trustee meetings; allow two non-voting bargaining unit members onto the Board of Trustees; and create a process for more community input into the Board of Trustees membership. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G Ohio cna/nnoc rns in Ohio met with U.S. Senate candidates to gain their support for our new federal nurse-to-patient ratio legislation, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer. Eight RNs from around the state met on July 7 with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who made a commitment to the RNs to cosponsor the Boxer bill if she is elected next year. Ohio RNs will meet with all candidates for the Senate seat who are willing to meet with CNA/NNOC nurses. CNA/NNOC nurses and doctors representing Physicians for a National Health Program met with representatives of Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Cleve land, and gained her support for HR 676—the Medicare for All, single-payer legislation in the House of Representatives. Rep. Fudge signed onto the bill one day after nurses and doctors met with her staff. Texas cna/nnoc texas RN activists Gwen Agbatekwe and Beverly Leonard traveled to the town of Kermit in West Texas to witness the pretrial hearing on Aug. 5 of two Winkler County Texas registered nurses, Anne Mitchell and Vicki Galle. The nurses are on trial for alleged misuse of official misinformation, but RNs across the country are citing the case as an example of retaliation against whistle-blowers. "The longer we sat in the courtroom, I reminisced on the [similarities to the] television series Dukes of Hazard and couldn't believe that this was actual litigation," said Abgatekwe. "It is increasingly more clear that registered nurses must be at the forefront of patient advocacy and nurses' rights in Texas hospitals." Leonard added that "whether these issues take place in a small county of 30 RNs, such as Winkler County, or in a fast-growing metropolitan city, all nurses must be ready to take up the gauntlet and support other nurses and our nursing profession." As of press time, the judge had not ruled on the case. —staff report REGISTERED NURSE 9