Wildtime right about MNM?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

Well, I have to give Wildtime88 credit. I received a ton of emails from the MNM mass mailings (more like spam mail) and there's a big soap opera going on there. Two of the three board members resigned because it appears they can't agree on the goals and mission. This is really sad for nursing. They HAVE gained publicity and now this big mess will, once again, highlight the inability for nursing to agree on anything. From an outside view, it looks like a big political, money making scam (as Wildtime said it would be). One board member's wife, it appears from the emails, is the one doing the printing for the MNM publicity items. These were to be sold and a portion of the profit returned to the MNM. One of the resigning members indicated she was unable to obtain receipts from sales. I dunno, I deleted all the junk from my box or I'd post it for ya'll. I just had to give Wildman his credit smile.gif

I am not surprised by the recent turn of events of the MNM subject. I feel it must be a grass roots type of thing before it becomes a national movement. If you see apathy in the hospital you work in..or hear how terrible things are...and see no one do anything...which I believe applies to most of us...how can you possibly expect to see the MNM come to fruition?? does it always come down to politics????

It wasn't a money making scheme.

Atleast they tried.

I hate to say it [not really], but I told you so. Do something that is credible-- for once and for all; join your state nurses associations and GET INVOLVED.

Originally posted by nurs4kids:

Well, I have to give Wildtime88 credit. the MNM mass mailings (more like spam mail) and there's a big soap opera going on there.... From an outside view, it looks like a big political, money making scam (as Wildtime said it would be). One board member's wife, it appears from the emails, is the one doing the printing for the MNM publicity items. These were to be sold and a portion of the profit returned to the MNM. One of the resigning members indicated she was unable to obtain receipts from sales. I dunno, I deleted all the junk from my box or I'd post it for ya'll. I just had to give Wildman his credit smile.gif

A PORTION of the PROFIT? When knowledgeable people asked about the funding & profits, they were told that there were none. What a mess. Its such a shame. I think the general idea was a good one & in the beginning, some well-meaning nurses tried to do something good. I think it all got taken out of their hands & thats when things changed.

These same questions about direction, funding, & profit were asked by more than just a few people in more than one forum (including this one) when it all seemed to be getting very big & commercialized. Those people were attacked for posing those questions & not just jumping onboard. Its sad to say, but a lot of people had reservations with the way things were being handled & they stood back. Nurses intuition?

Anyway, I feel for Helen. She was one of their biggest supporters - defending the organizers when more experienced people voiced those uneasy feelings about what they saw seemingly happening. She must be feeling so used & disillusioned right now. Forget them Helen. You all tried to do a good thing. All is not lost. There are other ways to accomplish that goal.

Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

Perhaps my use of the word "profit" was misleading. I do not think the majority of the board intended for there to be a "profit". What I meant by "profit", was the remainder of the money frin the publicity items less the cost of production. I think this money was supposed to go back into the MNM to be used for operation. In reading between the lines, I get the impression that Ron's wife (or a friend) was the one printing the publicity items and when the other two board members asked for receipts, they were ignored.

Yes, Tim, I forgot you last night, you too foresaw this. I was naive; perhaps out of desperation, but I thought it was a wonderful project.

Wildtime, I would conclude that the remaining board member's refusal to answer any allegations is an indication that there was something very wrong going on.

My heart does go out to Helen, I KNOW she worked hard at this. I think of her often when I am inspired to do more, then don't because of family and work obligations. I think to myself, "yanno, Helen works AND has a family also". I did not intend to imply that she started the organization with intents of promoting the needs of our profession. I do not feel her work was in vain. Any step toward our goal is a step in the right direction. I apologize to Helen and Michelle if I seemed to lay blame on them. I am and was very frustrated to see what I felt as "hope" being washed away. As for the remaining board member, Ron, I am not impressed. You will never get anywhere by being a dictator in a democratic country.

Again, to those of you who worked so hard on the MNM over the past year or so, thank you. You are much more dedicated to our cause than myself. If nothing more, you have brought many of our problems to our attention. Now it is our job to bring it take it to others.

In reading between the lines, I get the impression that Ron's wife (or a friend) was the one printing the publicity items and when the other two board members asked for receipts, they were ignored.

As for the remaining board member, Ron, I am not impressed. You will never get anywhere by being a dictator in a democratic country.

[/b]

I agree, I think that Ron (MNM webmaster and board member) has been in it for the money the whole time. From what I understand, he has a whole bunch of crappy websites and he has the same advertisers on all of them, the MNM site is plastered with advertising... Hummmm, I wonder who is getting paid from all that advertising? Just a wild guess, but, I bet RON IS, not the MNM, sounds like another scam. Oh and what a coincidence, his wife is printing all the publicity stuff like t-shirts etc... (ca ching ca ching). It sounds like a great idea has been taken and abused by a few greedy people and sloppy record keeping. just my $0.02

I also agree that if you really want to make change and support, join your state nursing association or the ANA.

[This message has been edited by laugh (edited April 16, 2001).]

Actually Nana is not Ron's wife, she is a friend. A nurse that worked L&D for a number of years, got burned out and left the profession, over many of the issues we are all familiar with. She then started a print shop. This is what Michele and I were told. Originally she was part of the board, but when Michele and I found out that she actually intended to make a profit, as there was a denial that this was the case in the beginning, we asked that she not participate in the board because of conflict of interest. However she remained in a great deal of control and that was a major issue with us. I owe apologies to Barbara Rose in Texas, Karen O'Hara and Christina Terranova, as they foresaw this and I was too damn naive to believe it. I wanted very much to do something that I believed would have a major impact on the profession and the ability to provide appropriate care. Now I am just tired, so much work for nothing.

Found this with searching. These are all Ron's sites. Think if you go to supporters on the MNM site and then click on those sites to take a look, how is he supporting all these different websites? Don't webmasters make money on click throughs? Not real familiar with the process, but I think that is how it works. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

The NursesPortal, The Beginning 10/08/2000

NURSESPORTAL.com, an Internet Consulting Group providing

community resources for nurses,

began on February 2, 1996, as an endeavour to join a few nurses

in their own personal chatroom, on a website called, WholeNurse.com.

Since then the vision has grown to include all nurses.

Ron Phelps, the guiding light of the group, along with

Mark, Willy, Melissa,

and a number of others began to contribute to the web site.

Their offerings were added to a growing database.

Eventually many of the orginators moved on,

as often happens in internet-life.

Currently Ron Phelps, RN, Regina Phelps, MSN,

and Teri Sulewski, LPN are the operating partners.

Currently The NursesPortal hosts a number of related domains

that are exclusively for Nurses and related professions.

They include;

VirtualNurse.com on July 10, 1996

Health-Support.com on April 15, 1997

Nursinglife.com on June 20, 1999

Nurses.nu on September 10, 1999

AboutNursing.net on December 29, 1999

These prolific internet authors are also host to a number of other,

non-nursing, websites.

ezpresentations.com

nnva.com

webannounce.net

This is Michele (one of the former board members from the MNM)

I have tried to follow along but was so immersed into trying to make the MNM a successful campaign of unity for Nurses

that I have lost touch.

There is so much I want to say...

First I extend my apologies also to Barbara Rose, Karen Ohara ,Julie, Christina Terranova, Natalie, Dawn, Cheryl, Brian Short and many who had spent time and efforts on this project and also had spoke out, in earnest were trying to lend direction and ended up leaving.

I also want to personally apologize to anyone that is now involved or will be involved with the MNM, because in fact I started the dialogue with Ron Phelps and lead this group away from allnurses.com

and feel responsible for that.

I will tell you that from November of last year until now, I and Helen have stood strong ground to make sure the ethics took priority.We were obviously unsuccessful and in the end resigned. I will tell you that I am pushing hard for public disclosure. Not because of anger, or to be slanderous, I do want anyone that I lead into this campaign to be humiliated or taken advantage of. I do not want to see fellow professional nurses giving thier heart and sole to a project that does not fufill the obligations it's mission intended.

The last thing we need is for a situation publicly to perpetuate the image we already have into yet another display of disharmony.

My God we are facing enough.

I am sorry and extremely saddened. My hope that is those that choose to remain are well informed and can take control. Bring it back to a grassroots effort where it belongs if anywhere.

Wildtime, Tim and Julie have brought to the table many, good reasons to get actively involved in Nursing Activism from a credible established organization. We have the ability to dialogue and make change, with credible leadership, outspoken nursing advocates, involvement in unions, associations, locally, and on our own units.

The concept of unity is the key.

I want to extend myself to anyone that wants any information , feel free to email me:

[email protected]

Thank you for the encouragement and support you guys have shown and your own courage to speak out,

even to those of us involved. Your intuitions were on target, and my character assumptions were wrong.

Keep talking, even if you don't always agree. I have learned a great deal by reading these postings, and I have also had the privelege to meet some incredible nurses.

Helen is a genuine friend and confidant, and I also thank her tremendously for all the hours she has spent on this, and worked with me.

Thanks for letting me share this information with you.

Michele Jansen

I owe apologies to Barbara Rose in Texas, Karen O'Hara and Christina Terranova, as they foresaw this and I was too damn naive to believe it. [/b]
....
First I extend my apologies also to Barbara Rose, Karen Ohara ,Julie, Christina Terranova, Natalie, Dawn, Cheryl, Brian Short and many who had spent time and efforts on this project and also had spoke out, in earnest were trying to lend direction and ended up leaving.[/b]
....

Well, I for one, am surprised to see these apologies, especially after all that has been said about some of us. I never expected to see this but your admissions say a lot about your character. What can be learned from this entire fiasco is that we must make more of an effort to think before jumping, listen to each other, utilize each others knowledge & experience & not be so quick to condemn someone for having questions or a differing opinion.

I appreciate the apology.

But the fight of nurses to make the workplace changes they need, to make the public aware & to put laws into place to protect us & our pts continues - through many of our state nurses associations & through the UAN/ANA. And nurses are winning that fight slowly but surely.

You both were looking forward to getting your legislator's attention? You still can. There will be nurses from all over the country in DC this spring doing exactly that - ANA member AND non-ANA member. Nurses. All of us. And you all can still be heard & make a difference. Accomplish your mission YOURSELF - without the webmaster.

You dont need a webmaster to do it. YOU have that power yourself - we all do. So shake off the dust & get back up on that horse. As has been stated here before, the party is already planned, all the details are taken care of. All you have to do is show up & tell the lawmakers & the press your stories. Inform the public & make the legislators listen.

(see? - we have the same goal - just a different idea on which group to participate in achieving it. For my money, my established state nurses organization has always been the way to go)

Anyway, Why not invite all those from the MNM who feel as you do & meet up in DC to join many other nurses for a Nurse lobbying "party" at the Capitol? And accomplish your mission. Does it matter if you have a big formal organization with a fancy website, or is your mission to make the public & legislators aware? You can accomplish that yourself. It will be nurses day at the Capitol in June. Youre a nurse. Go there - as a NURSE - & tell them what you had planned to tell them in the first place. Forget the online profiteers & just keep on going.

Just as nurses.....

"STAFFING CRISIS LOBBY DAY, June 26, 2001

Plan to join nurses across the country as they take their message to Capitol Hill for the Staffing Crisis Lobby Day on June 26, 2001, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Washington, DC. This will be an opportunity to unite with other nurses, their families, colleagues, and friends to deliver a critical message that patients and nurses are at risk in today's hospitals and that nurses are using their power to make hospitals safe. Lobby day will include a "a how to lobby" session, visits to your Congressmen and Congresswomen, a debriefing, and a media event. Download the PDFs of the registration form and hotel reservation form and join fellow nurses on June 26, 2001 in DC. Make a difference!" http://www.UANnurse.com

-julie

(Please note the above states "nurses" It does not call for just ANA nurses. All nurses can grab this opportunity to be seen & heard & to make needed changes. No one else is going to do it for us. We have to do it ourselves.)

Hi. I see that the MNM unfortunately is experiencing failures early in the game. Somehow, I don't see this as a major problem, because many groups or organizations go through phases before they grow up, if they ever do. It may take many member or organizer changes before the MNM comes to fruition. Not really a surprise to me. You want to see disagreement? Attend some of your area churches, and you'll find it.

As previous posters have alluded, dropping out of or taking a sabbatical from the MNM or another group does not mean you can't take a stand on what you feel nursing should be. Grassroots or otherwise, go nurses!

[This message has been edited by Mijourney (edited April 16, 2001).]

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