Nurses Use Your Voice!

As a registered nurse I feel I have credibility. Nurse are the voice and advocates for patients utilizing the healthcare system around the world. We care for patients in various areas of the healthcare spectrum from life to death. It can be a humbling experience. For the last 19 years, patients have rated nurses the most ethical and honest of all professions (ANA, 2021). Never the less, nurses are being abused in the workplace by patients, families and others.

As nurses continue to labor through the pandemic, hospitals have decided they want Congress to intervene and cap the pay for travel nurses. Many in Congress have signed on to the idea. As CEO’s are making millions of dollars in salaries and bonuses, nurses are leaving the bedside. Surely they can share the wealth and compensate their largest workforce. Hospitals can not operate without nurses.

Use your voice to correct those spouting false information. Educate the public when you can and do not let anyone diminish your light. Although nursing can be a thankless job, acknowledge the stress, laugh and keep going, because that’s what nurses do.

Congress needs to hear from YOU regarding issues that affect the profession, this includes the wage gap, toxic work environments, and nurse patient ratios. California has lead the way in some of these issues and the rest of the country has to catch up. Although we are millions strong we seem not to have a voice, and those who hold the purse strings are not listening.

Just keeping you informed!

References

American Nurse (Feb.2021). Trust in nation’s nurses rise during pandemic. 16 (2) 35.