Planned Parenthood, Women's Health Issues, Nurses could rule the US

Nurses Activism

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With more than 3,000,000 nurses, yes that is 3 MILLION PLUS nurses in the US why aren't we ruling? Just think if every nurse emailed their representatives in government and told them to stop trying to block access to contraceptives, sexual education, and attempting to squash Planned Parenthood. Or donated 1, 10, or 100 dollars to the ANA PAC? Nurses votes ALONE could determine who is President. Even more important nurses can play a huge role in local politics, what are a few deciding for all at local school board meetings?

Doesn't it bother anyone else that the whole health care system was set up to benefit Drs and Hospitals, nurses were put in the bed charge because at the time when insurance companies and hospitals were developing nurses didn't matter and had no power. Why nursing care is not paid for directly (which would also make nursing the most revenue producer in a hospital rather than a revenue drain) Why chronic disease management by RN's is not reimburseable even though research shows its extremely effective. Blah blah blah, honestly after going on 27 years in nursing I feel like nothing has changed at all. Isn't it time we had a revolution?

On the planned parenthood side, the one thing good coming out of this is that the support for pp is overflowing. I think they have already said that they have raised more money in the last couple days than SGK gives them in a year. People I know that were going to do the 3 day walk are dropping out and donating the entrance fee to PP.On the general side, I think it is important to work on the state and national level for nurses rights and women's rights. I've never been 'political' but the government seems to be working against women lately.

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how does planned parenthood lie?"

they tell everybody it's an alien like in that movie with sigourney weaver and it pops out of her stomach to scare her!

just kidding. on a serious note - planned parenthood, funding, and contraceptive access for those who can't afford the retail price seem to vary greatly from state to state. some states are trying to de-fund it all together so poor people have a harder time getting the pill or an iud, and some state are at the other end of the spectrum covering even abortion for medicaid recipients in their state (ny). the citizens in these states voted for their state reps and governor, so if they don't like the current rules they are free to vote differently next time. but people got what they voted for. if you don't think the pill should be out of reach for poor women (and that therefore the taxypayers are stuck paying for children they can't afford, which is way more than the pill) then stop voting for the far-right/tea party candidates.

i think the ideal situation would be for state governments to set up a chain of clinics that does everything pp does except for abortion. couple that with science-based sex education in schools. so poorer people have access to contraceptives, std treatment, and breast exams free if needed, and we can avoid unwanted pregnancy and therefore abortion. i have yet to hear a single politician suggest this, as they are all too happy to use abortion and pp as wedge issues to get out the vote.

You are so right. They are quick to find fault with the current system in place but not quick to provide alternative solutions. I think women should have access to safe abortions but if there were clinics funded by the state that offered all around women's health for the poor, I'd be thrilled.

Specializes in School Nurse, Maternal Newborn.
How does Planned Parenthood lie?

Some people seem to believe that PP drags women in off of the street, rather than the women are seeking a service. This is often without the benefit of genuine experience or having visited one of them. Not all of them perform abortions, to boot.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

i think the ideal situation would be for state governments to set up a chain of clinics that does everything pp does except for abortion. couple that with science-based sex education in schools. so poorer people have access to contraceptives,

*** while i think that would be a great idea and some here may agree with you it would never work. a large number of people who are anti abortion are also just as aginst birthcontrol and even sex education. i live in a fairly moderate state, sometimes blue, some times red and even here it is a big issue with the subject of sex education in schools coming up every few years.

if states tried what you suggest they would have lots of people opposed to it, not very different than if they were going to offer abortions.

i personaly do not get how anyone opposed to abortion is not a cheer leader for sex education and easy and cheap access to birthcontrol but that is the way it is.

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while i think that would be a great idea and some here may agree with you it would never work"

i'm not sure exactly how many people in the us take the political position of monty python's "every sperm is sacred" song when it comes to contraceptives, but i don't want to automatically assume there are enough of these fundamentalists to really rule out contraceptive access. i mean, i hope there aren't enough of them!

Specializes in Med Surg.

I think the problem lies in the political stances of the ANA. Instead of focusing on nursing issues, they go off and do things like endorse candidates, which only serves to alienate members/potential members. I know that's done it for me--I will never become an ANA member. If a group would work for the benefit of all nurses and that which unites us, instead of intentionally dividing us, or, as with the OP, making the assumption that we are somehow a monolithic block that thinks the same, they could make great progress.

So let's hope they give the money back to SBK Foundation so that they can redirect the funds to who they were going to do so in the first place, and since they went against their policy because of the political bullying.

Saying that PP supports "the killing of human beings" is like saying "hospice promotes the killing of human beings". Not everything is perfect about either. Let us not forget that PP also promotes birth control. I visited them when I was 19 yrs old (about to be married) and after much discussion, received the pill. Is there something wrong with that?

"With more than 3,000,000 nurses, yes that is 3 MILLION PLUS nurses in the US why aren't we ruling?"

I have no desire to "rule." I have a desire to practice my nursing as I was taught. I prefer to be collaborative with my other healthcare partners. This constant division between even different levels of nurses has to stop. We are shooting ourselves in the foot every time we bicker about if ADNs, BSNs, NPs, or Doctorates in Nursing are better than each other. Everyone has their niche and chose their own route for a reason. If I wanted to be an NP I could do it without a problem. I had a 4.0 avg all throughout nursing school. What I don't have is the money. It's ridiculous the amount of money to pay for not much better of a job or salary than I already have. I don't need to be an NP to enjoy being a nurse.

"Just think if every nurse emailed their representatives in government and told them to stop trying to block access to contraceptives, sexual education, and attempting to squash Planned Parenthood."

I don't think the government was trying to block access to contraceptives, sexual education or squash Planned Parenthood. The policy regardless of who the organization is, is that if it is under investigation, no grant dollars will go to them until investigation is clear. I can tell you right now that if taxpayer money went to fund an organization that was under investigation for fraud, I would be ****** beyond belief!

"Or donated 1, 10, or 100 dollars to the ANA PAC? Nurses votes ALONE could determine who is President. Even more important nurses can play a huge role in local politics, what are a few deciding for all at local school board meetings?"

I don't agree with, never have, and probably never will agree with the ANA political stances or the fact that they are a contributor to the broken political machine we are all a part of. I don't and never will belong to the ANA. Instead of focusing on improving the art of nursing and healing the rifts between nurses, and providing good mentoring regarding older nurses eating their young, and perhaps scholarships for nurses, they choose to get involved in politics with the dues they receive from members. ANA should not have a PAC. Instead of political bullying, why not debate the issues strictly from the point of view of the art and science of nursing instead of trying to "rule" the healthcare industry?

"Doesn't it bother anyone else that the whole health care system was set up to benefit Drs and Hospitals, nurses were put in the bed charge because at the time when insurance companies and hospitals were developing nurses didn't matter and had no power. Why nursing care is not paid for directly (which would also make nursing the most revenue producer in a hospital rather than a revenue drain) Why chronic disease management by RN's is not reimburseable even though research shows its extremely effective. Blah blah blah, honestly after going on 27 years in nursing I feel like nothing has changed at all. Isn't it time we had a revolution?"

What has to be fixed first is the relationship between all of these practitioners. There are doctors out there who think nurses are stupid and irritating because they call them at 3am to say that someone is constipated. Then there are doctors out there who totally respect the nurses they work with. How about the ANA spend some money going into Medical Schools and making it a mandatory requirement that newbie physicians shadow nurses at all levels of care to understand what they do on a daily basis and how we save their asses? Maybe then they'll respect us as more than pushers of pills, order takers, etc. You make your profession shine by doing your best at your job and being a strong competent nurse, not by bullying people. Do you really want to deal with paperwork of self-reimbursement? Good luck with that in this system. Nursing care is paid for under DRGs and in nursing homes under PPS. What the system itself does with the revenue is beyond our control. Talk to your Director of Nursing Services and see where the department's money goes and you'll get a better idea of how the dollars get eaten up. Chronic disease management is an entirely different ball of wax. It's not reimbursed well for anyone...PCMS (Patient Centered Medical Homes) may be the wave of the future in this respect.

I disagree that in 27 nursing has not changed. It has changed tremendously in skill level, practice, salaries, etc. Not that we can't advocate for better, but wow...I can see just in my practice area, the significant changes that have occurred.

I don't think it is political bullying to say 'hey an organization that promised a grant changed their policies so that we couldn't receive that grant any further'. SGK relies on donations from those that believe in its mission. If they decide to change what their mission is then it is no surprise that people would state they would no longer support SGK. That isn't political bullying. SGK can do whatever they want but they realized that in doing so they would no longer receive the support they have so they changed their minds.

Specializes in Critical Care.

My biggest concern is that the ANA, Planned Parenthood and the Obama Administration does not represent my views as an citizen, nurse, member of my faith community or even ethically. I joined ANA as a new grad at great expense and soon found that I was contributing my hard earned money to an organization that was actively campaigning against issues that I hold as foundational and morally non-negotiable.

I will not deny any other nurse the right to support any organization or cause that they wish, but I will not support and will actively oppose any effort to use my hard earned income via taxes or contributions to support a cause or organization I find objectionable. Agree or disagree, it's your choice. But I also have an equal right to oppose your position as you do to oppose mine.

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