california nurses association

I am so blessed to work with the smart, kind nurse members at my hospital and the staff of the CNA. I have worked with some of my coworkers for more than 25 years. We are doing something good.

The only nurses who don't like CNA are against unions in general. At least one was wrongly disciplined. She did call the union. They handled it in a few days. She is now an active member.

The education in how to be a patient advocate and our contract are just two reasons I am proud to be a member of CNA.

Through the PPC (patient care committee) we have safe staffing almost every shift. We fill out an "assignment despite objection" (ADO) form if staffing is not safe or if we don't have break relief. We no longer have to float to an unfamiliar unit. That is in the regulations CNA got passed as well as in our contract.

We have good wages and benefits, including retirement. Some nurses got a BIG check once when the union filed a grievance because they were not paying them correctly. Every new contract has been better than before.

At my hospital as anywhere our success depends on the unity of staff on the unit. Nurses who fill out ADOs and attend meetings are respected and have a good work life. Others suffer short staffing and worse. The union can't help them if they don't know.

Our patients get better care and nurses have a better work life because of CNA.

http://www.calnurses.org/?Action=Category&id=95

http://radicalfusion.org/files.calnurse.org/assets/0704_CNA_101_email.pdf