Options to joining Nurse Unions

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

First of I'm just a student nurse. I'm writing a paper on Nurse Unions and I want to present both sides.I don't want a bunch of I hate unions responses. What I'd really like to know is what are the alternative options to unions that nurses use to come together to affect change in their work environment? And how effective have they been at implementation?

I've researched on shared governance "theory" and interest based bargaining. Has your workplace used these or other methods? of course there's always ANA , but I can't see how that affect direct change between a worker and employer.

What about Hospitals that gained Magnet status, does that really help work environment for nurse and patient? I still have to do my own research but I just wanted the view from real nurses on what options really work. Any thoughts are welcomed?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Great paper...you need to call your local union in your state. Magnet is something for managers to pat themselves on the back...there has been some success at some facilites but there is no real worker protection.

The ANA....is not for the bedside nurse

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Great paper...you need to call your local union in your state. Magnet is something for managers to pat themselves on the back...there has been some success at some facilities but there is no real worker protection.

The ANA....is not for the bedside nurse. The MNA is in my state and they will be happy to talk to you or refer you to a resource.Massachusetts Nurses Association - Home

A national organization is beginning.....National Nurses United

I think the the best option for nursees these days is to collective bargain like the Police and Fire Departments to gain protection and maintain/improve working conditions

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

thanks, I'm in florida and we all know how much they dislike unions down here.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Shared governance is a bunch of BS, IMO. Magnet requires that their hospitals have "shared governance"... in my hospital what this amounted to was a committee of staff nurses who would go to meetings once a month to listen to the DON say "this is what we're doing now"... and if anyone brought concerns or suggested any changes they'd basically get told "No, this is what we're doing now."

Magnet doesn't improve anything for nursing. I worked at a Magnet hospital and if you actually looked at the by the books criteria to be Magnet, we shouldn't have had it. I don't believe Magnet does anything to improve patient care and, in fact, I believe a recent study showed the opposite to be true: Comparison of patient outcomes in Magnet® and non... [J Nurs Adm. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

Magnet hospitals spend a ridiculous amount of money on maintaining their Magnet status... which leads to less money spent on Nursing positions and patient care.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Shared Governance DOES work - the example provided above ^^^^ does not reflect a true Shared Governance environment. SG has to be hardwired into the organization & supported by administration and management. The organization has to invest in training for staff nurses involved in SG & facilitate participation with real incentives. Organizations that do so have found that the investment pays for itself many times over.

I'm not a huge fan of Magnet these days since it has basically become a cash cow for ANA. The original concept was great, but it has taken on a life of its own and the focus is on certification rather than the organizational transformation that it is supposed to represent.

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