National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:2 4/24/08 1:19 AM Page 9 WRAP-UP REPORT RNs Brenda Langford, left, and Bridgette Jones, both of Oak Forest Hospital, show off a little bit of "hands on" infection control in a bottle—the hand sanitizer. During the CNA/NNOC cosponsored Dolton Health Fair held on March 15, Jones gave a presentation on the MRSA virus for attendees. Langford, a member of the CNA/NNOC Board of Directors, welcomed Illinois State Rep. Mary Flowers to the fair, and community members learned about everything from domestic violence prevention to prenatal care and more. Photo by Donna Smith. HOUSTON, TEXAS nearly 300 rns at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center in Houston made labor history this month when they voted to be represented by CNA/NNOC Texas. The nurses at Cypress Fairbanks bear the distinction of being the first private-sector hospital RNs in the entire state of Texas to win union collective bargaining rights. "'Union' means unity for the good of all, especially our patients who are the cause we are here for," said Purita Reyes, RN, one of the newly-unionized Cypress Fairbanks nurses. RN Chris Williams drew parallels between the unionization fight and the civil rights campaigns waged by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "We nurses at CyFair will try to expand upon [Dr. King's] vision with respect to patient care in Texas." "Texas RNs have crossed a historic bridge, and will never look back," said CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro. APRIL 2008 Stay tuned for a full report in the May 2008 issue of . CYPRESS, CALIF. for the past four years, Orange County teen Nick Colombo has been battling Ewing's Sarcoma, while his family has been battling their insurer, PacifiCare, for every avenue of treatment available to him. Nick's last chance at beating the tumor on his tailbone could be CyberKnife treatment, but earlier this year, PacifiCare, now a part of United Health, denied treatment, calling it "unnecessary" for Ewing's Sarcoma. Colombo's 19-year-old brother Ricky launched a campaign to lobby the insurer to reverse its denial and save his life, including a plea W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G on www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org and a March 25 rally outside the United Health offices in Cypress, Calif. The night before the protest, a PacifiCare representative called the Colombo family to inform them that it had reversed its denial and that Nick's treatment, estimated to be $100,000, would be paid. Ricky went through with the next day's rally. "I know that there are thousands, even millions, of people in Nick's situation, who can't get the treatment they need. We're here for them as well as for Nick." The brothers' father, Rick Colombo, is thankful for PacifiCare's reconsideration, and overwhelmed by the support Ricky has shown Nick. "The love he has for his brother, doing whatever he can to get the best treatment for him, getting PacifiCare to reconsider—it goes beyond words. There's simply no way to describe how that feels." —staff report REGISTERED NURSE 9

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