Fabulous Idea!!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

You are reading page 5 of Fabulous Idea!!!!

About 6 years ago, REVOLUTION magazine, and Laura Gasparis organized a nurses march on Washington.

I was there!! There was a pretty good turn out but we got only a tiny bit of press.

I think the California nurses association has the most clout today politically.

You can reach their homepage at www.califnurses.org. They post the most recent healthcare articles that effect nurses from around the country on their site. I have found it the most enlightened site that I have ever visited for up to date healthcare info.

PPL, BSN, RN

173 Posts

Fem nurse, I read the article on the CNA site re Engineering A Crisis. It is one of the best I've read. I printed it out and I'm going to share it with anyone that will listen! I'm talking Joe Public. Also, I'm sched to attend a four hour inservice re customer satisfaction. What a hoot; we all know what would improve customer satisfaction. If this inservice is what I expect it to be, I'm planning a walk-out after stating my case. Thanks.

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[This message has been edited by bshort (edited September 19, 2000).]

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PLEASE NOTE: We have moved this discussion to the

Million Nurse March Forum

Please post all responses in the new forum. Thanks

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PPL

It takes real courage to organize nurses.

Because as soon as our employers get word about action, they give nurses with less spine and committment all the reasons they shouldn't take action.

When I was in an organizing campaign the management tried to tell the nurses that it wasn't professional to take action.

The management sent out letters with information that was darn right lies.

The management called nurses in to offices for one on one intimidation.

the management repeatedly violated labor law

and I could go on and on

But if we don't organize ourselve today, we will lose our profession!

[This message has been edited by bshort (edited September 19, 2000).]

oh, just an FYI about the ANA and the last march on washington.

The ANA was resistant right down until the last minute and they figured they'd look like fools if they didn't support such a grassroots movement as the nurses march on DC

But since then, they've let nurses down even more. HOW MANY OF US BELONG TO THE ANA?

I think California nurses did the best thing by breaking ties with the ANA. They've been able to set their own staff nurses political agenda. They've become RADICAL.

RADICAL is not a dirty word. Radical is what has gotten the california nurses legislation on pt ratios and whistle blower protection.

By the way, Health Professionals and Allied Employees in NJ are beginning to pick up some legislative clout.

And now Maine, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania nurses have formed affiliation with the California nurses association.

Will your state be next? California has said that they will help other states get the ball rolling.

ITS UP TO US!!!

oramar

5,758 Posts

Originally posted by nanjam:

The Nursing shortage and it's sometimes unfortunate results have been addressed this a.m. on NBC's Homepage as a result of an article in the Chicago Tribune. Check it out. Let's keep this subject exposed in the media!

Some people are put off by the inflamatory nature of the title of this article. I urge them to read it anyway because the content is very good. However, the article that www.califnurses.org is carrying

called Engineering a Crisis, How Hospitals created a shortage of nuses is even better.

[This message has been edited by oramar (edited September 11, 2000).]

bunky, BSN, RN

187 Posts

My God! I just finished perusing that series of articles in the Chicago Tribune which you can all see at www.chicagotribune.com. While the actual numbers gave me a thrill and let me clarify that: A thrill that it's the numbers I have been trying to get some idea of, the slant of the article disgusted me! We got bashed you guys! There was very little mention of how truly horrendous the working conditions are, and very little representation from actual floor nurses, and no insight or opinions from floor nurses either as to how this stuff happens. They were barking up the wrong tree there, and we got publically trounced on and portrayed as a bunch of junkies on the run! While the numbers were insightful I feel that the article as a whole did little to advance the publics perception of us, and thank god I don't live in Chicago as those nurse will be under such scrutiny by their patients with that type of scare mongering crap in print!

I'd like to have seen more on administrative decisions to cut back on staffing and how that trend has led to more mistakes by actual NUMBERS corelating the two! Then I think it would have been nice to see administrative salary averages and hospital profits added into it all!

bunky, BSN, RN

187 Posts

PS. PPL YOU GO FOR IT GIRL!!! And Shannon, thanks for tuning me onto Nursing Spectrum as I have found it fascinating reading!

KaleeG

2 Posts

Hello!

COUNT ME IN!!!

This is my first post and I have not read all of the meessages on this topic, but I would love to participate in something like this.

A few years ago there was a march on Washington of cancer related groups . . . this sounds like it could be similar.

Just got home and am almost asleep as I type, but I had to respond before I fell asleep and thought I had dreamed about this wonderful idea of yours!!!

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Kalee G - Currently on

assignment in

Philadelphia with

Medst

TD

2 Posts

Bunky, I was very frustrated to read these articles also. I'm a LVN in TX and I knew conditions were bad when I moved here but I was totally unprepared for the absolutely horrible conditions I've seen. If there's a march in Austin, count me in!!!!! Every day I wonder why I'm putting in the effort to get my RN, thank you so much for still caring! For me it's either fight or change professions, I can't tollerate the conditions anymore.

Originally posted by bunky:

My God! I just finished perusing that series of articles in the Chicago Tribune which you can all see at www.chicagotribune.com. While the actual numbers gave me a thrill and let me clarify that: A thrill that it's the numbers I have been trying to get some idea of, the slant of the article disgusted me! We got bashed you guys! There was very little mention of how truly horrendous the working conditions are, and very little representation from actual floor nurses, and no insight or opinions from floor nurses either as to how this stuff happens. They were barking up the wrong tree there, and we got publically trounced on and portrayed as a bunch of junkies on the run! While the numbers were insightful I feel that the article as a whole did little to advance the publics perception of us, and thank god I don't live in Chicago as those nurse will be under such scrutiny by their patients with that type of scare mongering crap in print!

I'd like to have seen more on administrative decisions to cut back on staffing and how that trend has led to more mistakes by actual NUMBERS corelating the two! Then I think it would have been nice to see administrative salary averages and hospital profits added into it all!

el

41 Posts

In another discussion someone mentioned the Florence Project and that they have tried to organize a march yearly for May 1st. I don't know if that is true but that could be a decent strating point as well. I sent an e mail to al gore but george bush I have to get the e mail address for. No answer yet.

el

41 Posts

I just visited the Florence Project site, I'm not so great at finding things, but I searched for rally and march and found no matches, of course if it is yearly and they do it in May, they may not be talking about the next one yet. I did however, and I don't know how I did, link to a page called E the people, and got to write a letter to Governor Bush. Will let you know if I get a response.

pickledpepperRN

4,491 Posts

Originally posted by Donald H Eidman:

I beleive that in theory the idea of a nursing march on Washington sounds great. I do recall the folks who published Nurse Revolution several years ago had a march of that nature. It would be difficult to organize a movement that large. But what if we all get together on a specific date and all of us just flood the Whitehouse or government with massive e-mails of our concerns, maybe @least a few will get through and let them know that we are uniting with a cause to better our healthcare system Kinda like a Paper March on DC......... hey just a thought

I attended both of the Nurses Marches on Washington. Hopefully the times have changed but 35,000 nurses got very little press! (Look at the HMOs advertising in the papers, radio, and TV).

I'm sending e-mails.

The multi-city US & Canada sounds more realistic in terms of the time off it would take. How about Federal, State, or Province buildings? My plate is full in terms of leadership, but I will attend. It will be great to meet some of you!

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PLEASE NOTE: We have moved this discussion to the

Million Nurse March Forum

Please post all responses in the new forum. Thanks

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[This message has been edited by bshort (edited September 19, 2000).]

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