As great challenges and opportunities often do, the call came last Friday afternoon: The country’s largest labor organization, the AFL-CIO, was coordinating with the Puerto Rican Federation of Labor and the mayor of San Juan to send more than 200 healthcare, transportation, and construction volunteers on a two-week humanitarian mission to aid Puerto Rico.
1. When hospitals cut corners on spending, they cut corners on human lives. From pushing patients out of the hospital while still ill, to stocking lifesaving supplies at a bare minimum, to having no limit on how many patients they assign to one overwhelmed RN, hospitals often make decisions that are good for profits — and bad for people.
National Nurses United condemns the Trump Administration’s callous and ill-advised effort to undo the historic Clean Power Plan of 2015 that seeks to reduce toxic carbon pollution from power plants
Each year, there’s a special week to honor America’s most trusted profession: nurses! We become nurses because it’s our calling, and we do it for our patients, not for accolades. But we also know that the oath we take to help and heal all people — is constantly hindered by employers who cut corners to boost profits. And that makes management’s “We appreciate you!” box of Krispy Kremes during Nurses Week fall a bit flat.
Bonnie Castillo , Executive Director of National Nurses United
The past two weeks have been a "Where's Waldo" moment for President Obama. He's been largely a bystander while tens of thousands of American workers, joined by students, and community allies, marched in Madison's snow and freezing temperatures, and slept on the floors of the capitol to defend their most fundamental right to freedom of assembly and a collective voice.
Michael Moore is hosting his film festival in Michigan this week, and I sure hope they are showing “Gaslight†from 1944. The American electorate would be wise to watch it again and to put into context the messages of our elected officials as they work us to do their bidding on the debt deal and beyond. There are acting awards to be given in the latest turn of events – the President and the Speaker of the House might vie for best actor’s honors while the Senate Majority Leader and Tea Party darling Eric Cantor would surely compete for best supporting actors among a plethora of worthy players.
The percentage of adults with no health insurance is the highest on record, 17.3 percent of adults as of the third quarter of 2011. Three years ago, in the third quarter of 2008, only 14.4 percent of adults lacked health insurance.
After spending the past month on the California Nurses Association Medicare for all bus tour in California, I am more confident than ever about the prospects of winning guaranteed healthcare for all under an improved Medicare model. Cradle to grave. For life. In California. Everywhere. By Donna Smith
Across the country, RNs are getting out the vote. Nurses make sure that their communities understand what's at stake, and make the connection between "big politics" and everyday life. Thanks, nurses, for all you do!