"We are here today to celebrate international nurses'
day. But more importantly, we're here to take action as
nurses to make our values as nurses a reality—values of car-
ing, compassion, and community," said Touko Leuga, a registered
nurse in the medical/surgical unit at MedStar Washington Hospital
Center, the largest hospital in the District of Columbia. "It's time for
the DC Council to step up by moving forward on the Patient Protec-
tion Act. The health of our patients depends on it."
Australian nurses, through the New South Wales Nurses and
Midwives' Association and the Queensland Nurses Union, pushed
for safe staffing ratios in their country through demonstrations and
other public events. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
launched its federal
election campaign May
12 with the slogan "Vote
care, not cuts" to defend
and shore up the coun-
try's Medicare system.
In Europe, the Greek
healthcare workers union PASONOP also called for safe RN-to-patient
staffing ratios to address dangerous understaffing in Greek hospitals
14
N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G J U N E 2 0 1 5
This page clockwise from top left:
Canadian RNs launched their election
campaign to protect and ex pand Medicare
with social media; California RNs con-
verged on Sac ramento for a lobby day;
Brazil ian RNs held events in support of a
30-hour workweek; VA nurses in Wash -
ington, D.C. protested management bully-
ing and supported bill to re store full bar-
gaining rights. Op posite page clockwise
from top left: Washington, D.C. RNs rallied
for safe ratios legislation; RNs in the
Philippines picketed for higher wages,
more RN jobs; RNs in Taiwan marched for
better working conditions.
"We're here to take
action as nurses to
make our values as
nurses a reality."
