A Tribute to the Nurses of Our Nation

by Mike Hall, May 21, 2009

Before more than 1,000 registered nurses and their supporters hit the halls of Congress last week to lobby lawmakers on key nursing and health care reform legislation and the Employee Free Choice Act, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney took time out to praise and encourage the sponsors of the event: the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), United American Nurses (UAN), Massachusetts Nurses Association, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, New York State Nurses Association and the SEIU Nurse Alliance.

The nurses had traveled from all around the nation to take part in the National RN Day of Action as part of National Nurses Week. We thought we’d share some of Sweeney’s remarks as a reminder to all of us of the great work nurses do—work that sometimes too many of us take for granted—and as a way to highlight the need for safe working conditions so nurses can continue to give their patients the best care possible.

Thanks to all of you for what you do every day for all of our families—what a terrific gathering, what a great tribute to the nurses of our nation to have you here in Washington during National Nurses Week.

What are we here for today?

We’re here to tell the U.S. Congress we need national standards when it comes to patient ratios, safe workplaces and a national ban on mandatory overtime.

You’ll be lobbying today in support of the omnibus bill sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer—and God bless her for doing what should have been done years ago.

But nurses need and deserve so much more—so don’t forget to tell our elected leaders it’s time to recognize the women and men who work their hearts out every day caring for our loved ones and saving lives, and health care employers need to recognize every one of you by listening to your voices, by providing better health care and pension benefits, and by paying you what you are worth.

People ask me all the time, “Why do we have a nursing shortage? Why aren’t more young people coming into this noblest of professions? Why can’t we keep nurses on the job?”

My answer is always the same:

Get your priorities straight, America—take out your checkbook, America.

Click here for an in-depth look at the rally that included speakers Rose Ann DeMoro, executive director of CNA/NNOC; Ann Converso, RN, president of the UAN; Gregory Junemann, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.); Boxer and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); and M*A*S*H actor Mike Farrell.

For a look at the new United American Nurses-National Nurses Organizing Committee (UAN-NNOC) that will bring together the 150,000 registered nurses in the CNA/NNOC, UAN and the Massachusetts Nursing Association, click here.

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