National Nurses United

RAD:May 4/22/09 4:38 PM Page 11 Rose Ann DeMoro Executive Director, CNA/NNOC Not Immune The economic crisis hits home for RNs In the words of Holly Near, "the safety of this journey begins with unity." A hospital in Duluth, Minn. last week sent what the Minnesota Nurses Association calls a rather "blunt notice" that it was going to begin laying off nurses. Hospitals in Marinette, Wis. and Kalamazoo, Mich. informed our colleagues in the United American Nurses that without imminent major concessions, layoffs will be made. At San Francisco General Hospital, RNs have been asked to take furlough days, unpaid holidays, and accept huge cuts in retirement benefits. Clinic RNs are just being pink slipped. East Cooper Regional hospital in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. implemented a hiring freeze and only allows paid sick time after two weeks off. ICU RNs are being laid off at Huron Road Hospital in Cleveland. At Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn., 25 employees received severance notices in March. In Roanoke, Va., an RN writes, "we are in a hiring freeze except for clinical positions, and we have hired a consulting firm to come in and make recommended cuts." Anyone who thinks nurses are immune from the ravages of the economic meltdown ought to look again. With our healthcare infrastructure rapidly unraveling, and tens of millions going without needed care, our delivery system ought to be expanding, not contracting. In January, we released a landmark study documenting that single-payer reform, such as HR 676 to expand and update Medicare to cover everyone, would not only cure our healthcare crisis, it would also ripple through the economy, creating more than 2.6 million jobs in every sector of society. However, the economic ripples work in the other direction as well. Through March, the official recession was officially tabbed at 16 months, making it the nation's worst since World War II. APRIL 2009 It's apparent that some hospitals and Unemployment in March stood at 8.5 percent, a 25-year high. That official figure of 13.2 systems which are doing quite well view million doesn't include many who have sim- the economic morass as an opportunity to make cuts. ply given up looking for work they can't find. But with the crisis spreading, an RN Even with some help from the president's economic stimulus bill, many of the newly action plan is more vital than ever to protect unemployed have also lost their employer- RN jobs, RN standards, and patients. That paid health benefits. In California, for one, plan would comprise three main elements: 1. Union representation in an RN union 500,000 workers have lost health insurance since the start of the recession, according to a for all non-union RNs. In hospitals with CNA/NNOC or other RN union representaUC Berkeley report. The lethal combination of recession, in- tion, nurses are able through collective repcreased reliance on skeletal, high-deductible resentation to fend off some of the worst plans, and skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, attacks, and even record gains. That will and co-pays is forcing many with insurance to only continue to be possible by expanding our ranks from coast postpone care, at their to coast. own peril. 2. RN-to-patient Mammography ratios, enacted in Conscreenings have fallen "As the RN in Roanoke gress and state legis7 percent for women wrote, 'seems to me if latures. California's in the highest risk catwe just cut a few salaries ratios are helping egory, age 50 to 64. at or near the top, we keep layoffs away Southern California could do fine. Our CEO from the hospital dental visits are down makes over $2.5 bedside (one reason 15 to 30 percent this million a year, and I we've seen more year, reports the Los haven't heard him offer layoffs in clinics in Angeles Times, and 43 to take a cut in pay.'" California than in percent of Californihospitals) and to proans under 50 have tect patients. skipped care for 3. Guaranteed healthcare for all Americhronic health conditions because of cost. With fewer covered, and fewer getting cans, as in HR 676, which would end the disneeded care, hospitals in March reported graceful denials of care, insurance price their first decline in employment since the gouging, and deplorable sight of Americans having to choose between paying their mortrecession began, notes Modern Healthcare. The Washington Post April 5 said the gage, utility bill, or getting the care they nursing shortage is essentially over, quoting need. The majority of nurses and doctors, nurses such as Sue Estes who said, "I've those who provide hands-on care, support shipped out resumes everywhere and I'm not this vital reform, which is also the best way for the ever shortsighted hospital industry to even getting the courtesy callbacks." Clearly, not everyone is feeling the pinch. save itself. There is a common denominator for all HCA chairman Jack Bovender harvested $12.1 million in 2008 compensation, including base three legs of this program: a strong, vital salary, stock options, bonuses, and retirement national movement of direct-care RNs. It's payments. And, as the RN in Roanoke wrote, long past time for all RNs to join us in this "seems to me if we just cut a few salaries at or critical campaign. ■ near the top, we could do fine. Our CEO makes over $2.5 million a year, and I haven't Rose Ann DeMoro is executive director of heard him offer to take a cut in pay." CNA/NNOC. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G REGISTERED NURSE 11

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