What Nurses Really Want

SC_RNDude · Jun 22, 2015

I agree with a lot of what NNU says, but I think they should leave some issues for others to fight.

For example:

"we stand for a world not reliant on the burning and extraction of fossil fuels."

This isn't a nursing issue and it decreases the credibility of NNU with the public. And then when they speak up on a real nursing issue, the public tunes out..."it's just that nutty nurses union again."

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jun 23, 2015

I agree with a lot of what NNU says, but I think they should leave some issues for others to fight.
For example:
"we stand for a world not reliant on the burning and extraction of fossil fuels."
This isn't a nursing issue and it decreases the credibility of NNU with the public. And then when they speak up on a real nursing issue, the public tunes out..."it's just that nutty nurses union again."

I tend to agree with you. With all the side-tracking, it's true that the general public totally shuts off. We really need to focus on the things that affect patients personally. Staffing, adequate equipment (in working order, let me add) and supplies, access to life-saving or enhancing medications without breaking the bank, early access to diagnosis and treatment, patient and staff safety, working conditions, those are the issues NNU and all nursing unions should be focusing on.

allnurses Guide · Jun 23, 2015

Nurses have a proud history of working for the health of everyone. Lavinia Dock and Lillian Wald worked for women's suffrage, worked against child labor, worked on workplace safety, for sanitation in our cities, and other non nursing causes that affect the health of society.

Clean air to breath and clean water to drink are good for everyone's health.

Do you think we were ignored when we demanded Ebola education and protective equipment?

https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/for-nurses-union-954810.html

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 23, 2015

True!!! But I do like donuts and pens too! lol I want it all!

*Reply to comment in OP, not the article.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 23, 2015

I agree with a lot of what NNU says, but I think they should leave some issues for others to fight.

But, they are much more in touch with the bedside nurse than another certain nation-wide nursing association. However, I"m sure they work on issues important to their members- if someone wants to make a change, the best bet they have is to join the organization.

Nancynurse5 · Jun 29, 2015

I believe underlying the reference to fossil fuels, is the machine called greed and for profit health care delivery systems fall in the same category of oil companies are to the environment as greedy health care businesses atr to patient care, because companies will always go to payroll when they want to increase their profit. Less staff to patients

cnmbfa · Jun 30, 2015

I agree with a lot of what NNU says, but I think they should leave some issues for others to fight.
For example:
"we stand for a world not reliant on the burning and extraction of fossil fuels."
This isn't a nursing issue and it decreases the credibility of NNU with the public. And then when they speak up on a real nursing issue, the public tunes out..."it's just that nutty nurses union again."

The four key concepts behind nursing practice are Person, Environment, Health, and Nursing. Our foremothers in public health saw addressing crowded slums, sanitation, impure milk, child labor abuses, and more as their concerns. Are you suggesting that they should have minded their own business, spurned these "liberal causes" and ignored the issues of their day that affected health and that called for activism and a government response?

Since our patients are clearly affected by the spread of malaria and other insect born diseases triggered by a changing climate, I think we need to address this. Others things that cannot be denied or explained away are the more frequent tornadoes, hurricanes. etc. we now see. What about the heat extremes that kill more people than any other weather-related events? Are we supposed to watch all of this, and just leave things as they are?

The science is clear on this, and we cannot wait to do something. Check out Pope Francis' words on this.

OCNRN63, RN · Jul 1, 2015

I agree with a lot of what NNU says, but I think they should leave some issues for others to fight.
For example:
"we stand for a world not reliant on the burning and extraction of fossil fuels."
This isn't a nursing issue and it decreases the credibility of NNU with the public. And then when they speak up on a real nursing issue, the public tunes out..."it's just that nutty nurses union again."

While it's not the most important issue, think about what burning fossil fuels does to the environment...to the air we all breathe. Pollution in our environment causes all sorts of diseases, both in the young and old.

I can see their point and agree with them, but I agree with you that it isn't the most important item on our plate.

OCNRN63, RN · Jul 1, 2015

Nurses have a proud history of working for the health of everyone. Lavinia Dock and Lillian Wald worked for women's suffrage, worked against child labor, worked on workplace safety, for sanitation in our cities, and other non nursing causes that affect the health of society.
Clean air to breath and clean water to drink are good for everyone's health.
Do you think we were ignored when we demanded Ebola education and protective equipment?
https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/for-nurses-union-954810.html

Well said! I like the tie-in to the recent Ebola crisis.

SC_RNDude · Jul 1, 2015

Nurses have a proud history of working for the health of everyone. Lavinia Dock and Lillian Wald worked for women's suffrage, worked against child labor, worked on workplace safety, for sanitation in our cities, and other non nursing causes that affect the health of society.
Clean air to breath and clean water to drink are good for everyone's health.
Do you think we were ignored when we demanded Ebola education and protective equipment?
https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/for-nurses-union-954810.html

Did Lavinia and Lillian use the dues collected from union members to fight for causes they personally believed in?

When I go to work in the morning, there are dozens of issues that effect me as a nurse. The last thing I am thinking about is alternatives to fossil fuels. I would hope that NNU is using their resources to adddress the issues that may effect me (including Ebola) in my work as a nurse.

MunoRN, RN · Jul 1, 2015

Did Lavinia and Lillian use the dues collected from union members to fight for causes they personally believed in?
When I go to work in the morning, there are dozens of issues that effect me as a nurse. The last thing I am thinking about is alternatives to fossil fuels. I would hope that NNU is using their resources to adddress the issues that may effect me (including Ebola) in my work as a nurse.

I would agree that unions shouldn't be using their resources to advocate for issues that are not nursing issues but rather personal issues of nurse, but public health has long been a general nursing issue. Chinese health officials admit that the effect of burning fossil fuels kills about 500,000 Chinese per year, and that's the amount they admit to. I agree that it should have been listed as an overall public health issue, rather than singled out.

Unlike other occupations, advocating for nurses is a bit more complicated since a core part of our responsibility is to advocate for patients, so in advocating for the profession of nursing, unions also need to advocate for patients to some degree.