A Challenge to Nurses

Under another topic I asked nurses to write to their Senator with their concerns about the "nursing crisis"

Some of you have and for that I thank you. But over the last few days I have visited a few of these Senator's websites. I am shocked that there is no mention of the "Nursing Crisis"!

Even on the website of Senator Dayton of Minnesota, where nearly 8,000 nurse in the Twin City area are poised to strike June 1st,
there is no mention of the "nursing crisis".
Rising gas prices are mentioned, tax cuts, Vikings-Giants games are mentioned but nothing about nursing.

I find this unacceptable, and another huge sign of the lack of respect given to nurses.

Senator's will give their attention to issues that they get the most feedback from their constituents about. We are those constituents. We are not demanding that their attention be put on these issues.

What does that say about nurses? Are we as a profession suffering from a case of terminal apathy?

Yes the Senate held hearings 2/13 and 5/17 on the topic of the "Nursing Shortage". How many of you cared enough to listened and find out what they talked about?

SenateHearing2/13

]SenateHearing5/17

I challenge all nurses that read this. Visit your Senator's web-site. See if there is any mention of the "Nursing Crisis". If you find one that does, post it here, so we can all write that Senator and congratulate them on the outstanding job he is doing to raise public awareness to this impending catastrophe.

If on the otherhand your Senator's website does not prominently mention the "Nursing Crisis", demand that it does. And start a write in campaign until it does.

We need people, as Jenny P and the nurses of Minnesota's slogan states, to "Start Hearing Nurses". Could the reason why they aren't, be because you haven't spoken? SPEAK UP NURSES!
WRITE YOUR SENATOR!

[ May 25, 2001: Message edited by: PeggyOhio ]