Million Nurse March....just like the ANA?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Claim to represent the Nurses of this country? use the number million ? Help or hinder?

Looked at past posts, can you say I told you so?

What a crying shame...Remeber this?

Yes,

It's me- nursedude- The guy (also an RN) who holds nothing back...I figured the title of this post would go straight through your heart.

Someone emailed me and asked me to post over here on this string....So, here I am. Here is the conversation we had:

"nursedude,-

>I've seen your recent postings on the allnurses bb re: recommending

>nursing. Hope you swing over once in a while to the million nurse

>march board on the same site and offer up your spirited messages."

Here is my reply:

"Thanks for the invitation...I have been reading the posts on the million nurse string/area of www.allnurses.com but at this point I am not going to post.

In my opinion, I believe that no matter how many nurses march, 10, 100, 100,000,000 that it will not change much...

My personal opinion is that instead of a march what is needed is a nationwide "sick day" by all nurses in every hospital, insurance company, doctors office, schools, clinics and everywhere else nurses work. I think that the media won't even give the mnm the time of day...If the media did give it some airtime it would soon be overlooked... Maybe there would be something else big going on- the superbowl, the world series, heck, maybe Garth Brooks would be on TNN- Country network doing a charity concert for wayward seagulls.

See, all these nurses will march. And a day or two later they'll go back home and go back to work. And that will be it. Maybe mnm will be in the newspaper. Or better yet, on the internet at www.allnurses.com where no one but nurses will read about it. Big deal.

See XXXXX, I am a guy. I don't like to play "touch footbal"; not one hand, and not two hand. I like good old fashioned tackle football...

So, you might say, whats the difference - March vs. mass call-off? Well, the difference is if most every nurse called off on the same day vs only some nurses marching(while their friends covered their shift back home)- well it's like dropping a nuclear bomb vs squirting someone with a squirt gun.

If you want to play with the boys, first you must get their attention and then you have to play like the boys.

I doubt that I'd get much support for this opinion. Why? Well of course, I can hear it now- "Who would take care of the patients?"

nursedude"

Just what is it that you girls want to accomplish with the million nurse march??? I use the word girls because I believe that is exactly what the rest of the country will percieve the mnm as- a bunch of girls squawking- overpaid and under-educated whining blondes...How many years are you willing to march??? It's a good idea- but it's weak.

For all of you who don't know me, please excuse my sarcasm. It's not that mnm march isn't a good idea, it's that I don't believe it will accomplish much... What will accomplish much??? Well, we are hearing so much about the current/upcoming nursing shortage right? The only thing it seems that is causing nursing to become more of an issue is the lack of the nurse at the bedside... I'm sorry, but that seems like the only thing that will catch anyones attention. Look in the papers and on the news section of this site. So many nurses are going union and many of the already unionized are striking. It's apparent to me that the only thing that causes the hospital and insurance executives to hear the nurse is the lack of the nurse.

Please don't take the whining blonde thing personally(unless you feel that description fits). I use that- sarcasm, to get your attention and hopefully change your point of view and perspective.

So tell me, what do you think?

AND NOW WE HAVE THIS?

After reading Nurse4kids post "wildtime right about MNM?", i deside to join in the public web meeting they had tonight with the new leadership. During the meeting I asked them to respond to the problems that nurse4kids mentioned. The following is a post I left on their disscussion baord after the encounter.

_____________________________________________

I understand there has been some e-mail reporting problems within the board and as a result 2 of the original founders have even left the organization.

I posed questions at the live web meeting tonight Saturday, April 14th. They was an out right refusal to answer or clear up the problems publicly. I posted under the name "Interested" and one of the lame reasons giving for not answering my questions was that I would not give my name.

Now correct me if I am wrong but is this not supposed to be a public organization based on the fact that there really is no formal membership. There are no dues to pay or contract to sign. This memship is supposed to based on particiapation of all nurses and such should have nothing to hide.

Two of the original board members have disassociated them selves from this organization which they in fact were at the very origin of conception of it.

But now it is excluding potential and existing members by not being forthright.

Does everyone know that it was announced that the vision and mission statement are going to be rewritten. There is no prior mention of this on the home page or announcement page. Did everyone agree to this?

I have to wonder if this post will be removed so that no one will see it as well.

It is pretty bad when the leaders of a public organization refuse to publicly answer questions in a public forum or refuse to try and explain and opt to run off instead. Hmmmm, where have I seen this before? http://millionnursemarch.org/discussion/list.php?f=10

_____________________________________________

:D I am not nursedude just a BIG FAN!!!!

Bamby,

I am sorry you had to experience this let down.Being involved with the MNM from the inception, until resignation related to the leadership dynamics and the change of direction. I felt terrible.

At this bulletin board you can use the search function to read many past discussions about the Million Nurse March. I would also suggest contacting the State Governance in Deleware, where the MNM is Incorporated to file a complaint. If you have given and raised monies for the MNM (allegedly filed 501 © (3) non profit?) there are laws that govern non profit organization. This is what I expected to happen after the leadership change...Non materialization of an actual March and a heavy handed push for fundraising. I am truly sorry you were lead down this path.Several of us are still pushing for disclosure.

Please come over to the Nursing Politics and Activism area, join some former organizers and follow a new direction. Proactive Grassroots activism is being achieved everyday for this profession by many good nurses from around the country, whether by themselves, with an association or Union. Don't let the hope you had die in the rubble of the Million Nurs March.

Michele

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