[Jenny P]

Hardknox, I HAVE walked a picket line at my own hospital, some 17 years ago when my bargaining unit was my state nursing assoc. (MNA also, but Minnesota). We didn't go on strike this time, but 1350 nurses here in the Twin Cities did walk. I did not walk the picket lines myself this time, due to a hip injury, but I did make picket signs and I did give finacial and emotional support as best I could while their strike was on. I never meant to imply that I'm the only one doing anything about the problems in nursing.
I happen to work in a unit with some strong and vocal personalities who are always telling me that "MNA should do this" or "ANA should be doing that" but when it comes to actually doing something about a problem, these same people are "too busy" or "too tired" to do it themselves or "not interested" in being involved in making these changes themselves. I get extremely frustrated when this happens and am in the habit of telling them to get off their duffs and get involved to make the changes they want, because I'm changing the things that are important to me in nursing. You see, I see MNA and ANA as being VOLUNTEER organizations, and if the volunteers are interested in changing things about their state and national organizations, they HAVE to do the changes themselves. Yes, we pay dues to run these organizations and have people which we have hired to run the offices, do the collective bargaining, lobby, direct programs and assist committees and do the paperwork, etc.; but they are organizations which are directed and focused on what the VOLUNTEER wants and needs. So sometimes the volunteers have been mostly managers and educators; if we, as bedside nurses, are not involved (or interested!) in running these organizations, who will be managing the directions that these organizations go? This is what the problem has been: the bedside nurse has been too tired or uninterested (or maybe, too outnumbered or intimidated) to be involved, and the "elitist" (as you called them) nurses have decided that what were their own personal priorities were the priorities of the association! Because WE did not speak up or get involved! That is what has changed- the bedside nurse is now involved and becoming more involved. The managers and educators who are still involved are hearing the bedside nurses these days and acting on what is being said.
I think that the whole past problems that people keep referring to (the BSN thing, for instance) were due to the fact that the bedside nurses were not vocal in what we felt at that time. The idea made sense, so "why should I argue with it? I'm just a bedside nurse what gives me the right to say anything when all of these "ANnies, FAANies and PhuDs" say this is needed?" But we were offended by it, and that is why it didn't go through on a national level (BTW, the BSN is the entry level of RN's in North Dakota, and they have more RNs per capita than any other state-- makes you wonder if we would have a shortage if it had gone through so many years ago, doesn't it?).
Jay Levan, ANA has never bargained for contracts, etc., but the state levels of the organization has in 28 (I think) states that are not right-to-work states. I didn't look to see where you are from, but if you are in a right-to-work state, ANA just passed some changes for workplace advocacy for use in those states.
And to Think-about-it, some of the problems that have occurred in nursing have also been caused by our being too compliant; should ANA focus its' anger at us? Yes, I am angry that greedy people make money off others' illnesses and I think it is wrong. Hospitals are where we work at this point of time, and we need a complete overhaul of the health care system to change some of these things; and I don't know how to do this unless we work through the political and social structures that are currently in place. I guess I'm more the type who works through the system for change than one who supports complete anarchy.