[vickivicki1]

Originally Posted by micu_4m

Hooray to the CA courts for seeing the wrong in Schwarzeneggar's corporate interests.
However, let's not make out CNA to be saints. Yes, they sank their own money into the project(their own meaning the dues of the CA nurses, et al. OH, I forgot! The dues of the Maine and Mass. nurses, too!!). They took out a $150,000.00 add in the New York Times against the "governator". Didn't know he was the governor of NY ,as well!?
And may I ask, How do all you CA nurses like your dues paying for such stuff? And how do you like your dues being used to pay for CNA to raid other nurses unions? You like your hard earned money being spent to pay some RNs who are employed by CNA to live and work in Hawaii in order to raid our nurses association and union?? How awfully generous of you!!! By the way, I have some bills and debts you can pay if you want to shift your finances my way!

grow up. if it hadn't been for the california nurses, arnold and the rest of the country could continue to treat nurses as second class citizens.........i live in indiana, please..someone start a union here, i'll be happy to have safe work conditions and safe nurse to patient ratios, unlike the 40 patients i have now, in the nursing home...............are you a nurse or is this a letter from arnold himself..if you were a nurse i don't think you would act this way........unless like i said.........?????????

[Runman1914]

i cant understand were "gov. steriod" gets off thinking he has so much authority on putting nurses in harms way, i didnt think a millionare movie star could be influenced by the financial kickbacks most politicians get from the hospital associations across the country.until the politicians stop taking these kickbacks nurses will continue to suffer.

[IowaKaren]

This gets me thinking, what about the Nurse/CNA to Resident ratio in nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and places of this sort. It seems most places could use more staff for adequate, safe care also.

[micu_4m]

Originally Posted by fergus51

I'm realistic enough to see the importance of pr. The NY Times isn't just read in NY despite what you may have thought. I have no qualms about my dues going to pay for it. If you can get mandatory staffing ratios, I'll be happy to pay some of your bills too. Until then, I'm afraid you're on your own since you don't get something for nothing

I am happy you are happy to have your dues spread to the winds by your organization. I know the nurses in Hawaii HIGHLY resented CNA raiding our union......the federal courts kicked them out. If you want to channel your dues to me, please do..........it's your money. I knew someone would reply that the NY Times is read everywhere, but sooooooooooo what. Why didn't they just keep the money in CA.
And Ms. Indiana nurse, I have been a nurse for 30 years and have fought for pt ratios for years. I have walked the picket line for patient and staff safety issues. CA is not the only state with such legislation. If YOU are a nurse why don't you get off your duff and start working with your state nurses association to get legislation passed on staffing ratios! It starts with the grassroots nurses. Or are you nurses one of those who lets someone else fight your fight for you.

[fergus51]

If the nurses in HI didn't want CNA coming in, they got their way. I'm sorry it offended you, but I don't see any reason for people to stay angry about it or resent CNA's success. What other state has mandatory ratios legislated like California? Like I said, if you can get that done for me, I'll be sure to chanel my money to you. I care about results and CNA got them. People who don't want to be members don't have to be, but I am happy to be one.

[SmilingBluEyes]

excellent post, fergus.

[Trankl]

Grassroots organizations are fundamental to change, but so is money. If a specific court case in Indiana was going to make a difference in safe ratios for your nurses and patients I would send my money your way. I hope you would do the same in Illinois and Missouri, and that others would do it for you too when the time comes. The bottom line is improvement everywhere, little by little. My money is well spent when that happens.

[Mike Kirchubel]

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CALIFORNIA NURSES AND THEIR PATIENTS

By Mike Kirchubel

California’s registered nurses recently won a well-publicized victory over Governor Schwarzenegger and the hospital owner’s lobby (the California Hospital Association.) This governor, at the bidding of the hospital lobby, is trying to kill the law which would set a limit of five patients per nurse. This is not the first time the hospital lobby has tried to manipulate regulations designed to protect patients under their care.

Before the ratio law was enacted, hospitals were supposed to staff their wards in accordance with Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. Title 22 mandates that each hospital has a patient classification system in place to determine how many nurses are needed on each ward based on the severity of the patients being treated there. But, in their quest for more and more profits, the hospital owners corrupted this system. By tying the patient classification system to an arbitrary staffing budget, and replacing registered nurses with aides, they could make hospital staffing virtually anything they wanted. In 1998 the California Department of Health Services found that 87% of California hospitals were out of compliance with Title 22. The resultant severe statewide understaffing of nurses and the danger that posed to their patients motivated the California Nurses Association to push for the ratio law. This law is so simple that no high-priced corporate lawyer could ever successfully corrupt it. Five patients per nurse is five patients, period.

The ratio law is incorruptible, but not bullet-proof. That’s why the hospital owner’s lobby and their hired-gun governor are trying so hard to shoot it down. If the past is any indication of the future, you will soon be bombarded by propaganda from this powerful lobby and their shills trying to convince you that safe staffing will not work. You will see letters to the editor and TV ads written by highly-paid, uncaring professionals about threatened hospital closings designed to inject cold fear deep into your heart. They will cry the loudest about the nursing shortage but will never admit that their greed caused it or that the ratio law is rapidly curing it. And Governor Schwarzenegger, not yet used to being typecast as the “loser,” will surely put the full force of state agencies to task trying to save face. The bottom line is this: Trust and support your nurses. They care a heck of a lot more about you than the hospital owners or this self-proclaimed, “populist” governor.

[kid80]

Instead Of 126000 There Is Now Shortage Of 150000 //must Get Overseas Nurses In Fast //one Life Criminally Lost Because Of Delay Would Be Equal To Murder//hope Sanity Prevails And Things As Far As Visas Recapture Or Any Other Solution Are Fast

[begalli]

Originally Posted by kid80

Instead Of 126000 There Is Now Shortage Of 150000 //must Get Overseas Nurses In Fast //one Life Criminally Lost Because Of Delay Would Be Equal To Murder//hope Sanity Prevails And Things As Far As Visas Recapture Or Any Other Solution Are Fast

WHAT?!