Imagine if the tens of millions of nurses in the world start working actively together with the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, 16 percent of the planet’s population, on confronting the health consequences of climate change and environmental degradation. And, jointly pressing all nations – including the most recalcitrant, our own – to accept healthcare as a fundamental human right.

The registered nurses of St. Joseph Health System have recently released a new report, “Falling From Grace,” on ethical and patient care concerns at SJH hospitals.

On July 30, nurses, seniors, elected official, healthcare activists, and more—threw a huge cross-country, 25-city celebration of Medicare’s 50th birthday. Under the rallying cry “Protect! Improve! Expand!” (PIE), it’s no wonder birthday cake gave way to pie on this landmark day, where community fun mixed with moving testimony on Medicare’s role in making healthcare a human right.

On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction along the Gulf Coast, registered nurse volunteers with the disaster relief program, Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), which sent hundreds of RN volunteers to provide disaster relief to the region in the wake of the deadly storm, say that critical lessons which exacerbated the 2005 crisis – global climate change, our lack of a national healthcare system, and failure to invest in public resources and infrastructure – have still not been learned.