Blog

Celebrate Medicare’s anniversary – extend it to everyone!

It was 47 years ago today that President Johnson signed the bill creating Medicare, assuring health security for the first time to 40 million Americans, age 65 and older as well as millions more with disabilities. The law also established Medicaid for low income Americans.

NNU Medicare for All Blog

Don’t Push Seniors Off the ‘Fiscal Cliff’

With the November election rapidly fading into memory and the basic building blocks of a civil society once again under grave threat from Wall Street and their acolytes in Washington, nurses and other activists have, once again, had to step up the fight to protect basic programs and make the case for real revenue needed to build a sustainable future.

NNU Blog

Time for Hospitals To Act as Good Corporate Citizens

Has therapeutic healing and recovery become a vanishing mission among California hospitals? Are California hospitals operating as big corporations more devoted to piling up cash than to assuring the delivery of care? A look at how California's private, not-for-profit hospitals are meeting their responsibilities for providing charity care and community benefit programs suggests many have lost their way.

Malinda Markowitz commentary, California Healthline

Global Day of Action by Nurses, Healthcare Workers in 13 Countries

United call for Robin Hood Tax--Major nurse and healthcare union organizations marched, rallied, and held other actions in 13 countries Tuesday in the first coordinated global day of action in a call to stop the harmful effects of austerity measures, cuts in health care services, improved patient care, and economic healing and recovery.

Global Nurses United

200 Kaiser RNs Rally to Protest Downgrading of Care for New Oakland Hospital

More than 200 Kaiser Permanente RNs rallied outside the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center Thursday afternoon to sound a public alarm about patient care reductions the HMO giant is proposing for its new Oakland facility which is expected to open this summer. Waving signs that mocked Kaiser’s multi-million dollar “Thrive” campaign with an RN adaptation: “Kaiser executives: Our patients should thrive not be deprived,” the RNs described substantial problems with short staffing and cuts that come at a time when Kaiser is making record profits and adding 95,000 new enrollees through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.

By Deborah Burger, RN

Climate Crisis a Public-Health Emergency Too: Why Nurses Will Join Climate March Sept. 21

For registered nurses the climate crisis is a clear and present public-health emergency as well as a creeping bomb for our planet -- and they draw a direct link between extreme forms of energy extraction and the horrific impacts they see on human health.

Deborah Burger, RN via The Huffington Post

Nurses Stand in Solidarity with Steelworkers Amid Safety Concerns

NNU is especially alarmed at the serious threat for workers and residents of local communities near the refineries posed by unsafe staffing levels, excessive worker overtime demands, and the reports of daily occurrences of fires, emissions, leaks and explosions that put tens of thousands of people in danger.

National Nurses United

Fast Track/TPP Stalled Today. We Must Kill it for Good!

Nurses and supporters have never had a more critical time to hold our ground! In an important vote, Fast Track authority was stalled on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today. But the corporate opponents of public health are pushing for a reconsideration either on Monday or Tuesday. We must act this weekend to stop Fast Track for good—as it could pave the way for corporations to overturn nurse-to-patient ratios, for medication costs to skyrocket, and other public health threats.

National Nurses United

College for All – Vote Bernie Sanders

I don’t know whether to celebrate or cry. Within a few months, I will have finally paid off the very last of my $20,000 worth of student loans for the private nursing school I graduated from in 1995. Yes, you read that right. I’ve been paying off these loans for 20 years and am now 52 years old. But instead of finally focusing on building up my family’s savings and working toward my and my husband’s retirement, we are now facing taking on many thousands of dollars in student loans over the next eight years to put our two sons through college.

Katy Roemer RN / National Nurses United

The People's Summit coming up in Chicago

Nurse Talk progressive healthcare correspondent and Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America Donna Smith—talks about the upcoming People's Summit in Chicago June 17th thru 19th.

Pattie Lockard, Nurse Talk Radio