A
s they do every year, California nurses celebrated
Nurses Week this May by converging on the capi-
tal to advocate for their patients beyond the bed-
side by lobbying state lawmakers on a number of
bills that would improve protections for hospitals
patients and their profession.
"Legislators need to hear from you, because you are the ones who
incur the risks every day," said Bonnie Castillo, RN and associate
director of National Nurses United.
This year, nurses also received special recognition for their work
from presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who issued a state-
ment that honored RNs for the many ways they advocate for patients
and their communities: at the bedside, against corporate healthcare,
for public policy on healthcare, jobs, housing, and the environment.
In return, Sanders added "America must honor you as well. We
must honor you by demanding that we support your right to guaran-
teed sick leave, family medical and maternity leave, safer work-
places, and quality healthcare for your families, and the right to
retire in dignity. And America must honor you by supporting your
right to form unions and bargain collectively for yourselves, your
colleagues, and your patients, free of intimidation and coercion.
Nurses, we honor you, and I will stand with you always."
On May 11, RNs first gathered at the Sacramento Convention
Center to discuss their legislative program for 2016 and hear from
leading legislators. Sen. Ed Hernandez of West Covina, author of
CNA-sponsored bill S.B. 1076, which cracks down on hospitals that
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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 M A R C H | A P R I L 2 0 1 6
FACE
TO
FACE
Through lobby visits with legislators, registered nurses put a human face
on the bills they champion to protect themselves and their patients
