ANA Critics--- In the grand scheme of things,what have YOU done to improve nursing???

Nurses General Nursing

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This is the first time I have ever posted a thread, but I have asked this question on another thread, and no one has answered yet... ergo, I thought it deserved it's own discussion group....

My question is for all of you nurses who bash the American Nurses Association, with statements of 'they don't do anything for nurses,' my question is simply this: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO IMPROVE NURSING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS?

Please don't respond with the usual 'I am a good co-worker...I take good care of my patient's... etc., etc., etc.' Whereas these are important, they do not tell me; what have you done socio-politically on a grand scale to improve nursing?

ANA has approximately 180,000 members. Nurses in the USA tally at about 2.6 million. That means [forgive me if my math is not just-so] that approximately 14% of nurses belong to ANA.

Since you all think ANA is weak [and with only 14% of nurses enrolled, you're right]; what do YOU do to improve nursing toward futurity?

I would love to know.

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Tis with our judgements as our watches, none go just alike, yet, each believes his own.

-Alexander Pope

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easy one. I have become politcally invovled to the point where I spend at least 10 hours of my time a week lobbing. I was in sacramento last month concerning a bill that was pulled at the last minute and will be there April 25 at Sacramento again concerning the same bill. Why? Because if this bill passes we will lose approxiatly 1000 LVNS in California. And what burns me is ANA is spending bucks to support SB396. So much for them caring about us. Luckly we belong to a much stronger union then them who at least gives a s--- about the nurses here.

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Tim,

I flunked 12th grade trigonometry. Having qualified myself, I come up with 7% of American nurses in ANA. lol

kjmta-Can you explain what that bill is?

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I have spoken in front of an inquiry board on the issue and effects of the nursing shortage. Presented point paper to administrators on effects of nursing shortage.

Co-developed and implemented a Nurse run, physician assisted, Diabetic Exercise Clinic.

Been guest speaker at 2 community conferences.

Performed recruiting trips to high schools and local college to promote nursing.

Even spoke with the President of the ANA about the crisis of the nursing shortage here.

I still strongly believe that for nurses to make change in our profession, we need to keep moving up and flood the administration jobs with nurses or start promoting employee owned hospitals.

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Actually, I re-did my math- I got 6.92%. Sorry about that.

kgmta, you're coming the closest to doing something, I am assuming that it was at least on the state level, correct? If so, a big WAY TO GO to you... Navy nurse, presenting to administrators... not good enough. It does nothing to affect public policy. The speaking to high school kids-- way to go!

Alright... i've got 2 non-ANA members that are attempting to do something for the common good of nursing- anyone else out there? Let's hear from the other 2,419,998 of you nurses!!!

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SB396 you can look on the internet under senator kuehl. Nancy stroller from California university wrote a report basically saying the LVN should stick to vital signs and clerical work. Senator Kuehl picked up on this report and applied this to the mta classification.(LVNS with peace officer status) and is attempting to eliminate this classification.Which would eliminate over 1000 LVNS in California. ANA is supporting this bill. I can only guess why. since this has all comed up I have been getting very involved in the diffrent political issues addressing nursing and have found in California several things. Where the money goes so will ANA. And yes there is a whole lot of politics going behind the scene and diffrent issues.Is usally a actual nurse involved with these decisions usally not. If you have any question on this issue just look at the bills being addressed to the senate floors in your state. And who is actually presenting them before the senate. Example: why was the bill that was suppose to be presented in California last month on patient-nurse ratio postponed for another year?

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Talking to administrators may not change public policy, but it got the nurses a 25%/hr incentive pay raise. You keep paying your dues and calling your congressman and when they pass public law to change nursing and raise your pay give me a call. Then we can multiple the 25%/hr times the number of YEARS it takes the ANA or Congress to act and see who comes out better off.

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Originally posted by kjmta57:

why was the bill that was suppose to be presented in California last month on patient-nurse ratio postponed for another year?

are you referring to the one promoted by the California Nurses Association? It was postponed? Do you mean the implementation of it has been postponed?

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I'm glad you got a good raise. But legislation did not get you your raise, neither did changes in public policy. The administrators that you spoke to acted in a way that maintained present staff, kept them competetive in a marketplace that has a dwindling pool of a finite resource, [i know the tactics, remember, i'm a licensed administrator, too]... It's a quick fix, it does not improve the working conditions or the status of professional nursing on the whole. It's a bandaid, nothing more, nothing less...

But that is not the point of this thread. THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, i.e, nurses nationwide- directed toward the future of nursing. What has anyone done?

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