09.16.13
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Join the Nurses in NYC or Online Sept. 17

Leading nurse and healthcare union organizations in 13 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe are holding coordinated actions Tuesday, September 17 to escalate the call to stop the harmful effects of austerity measures, privatization, and cuts in health care services that they say are putting people and communities at risk, and call for safer nursing care. Many of the actions – including a major march in New York City that coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and the second anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement – will also call for a tax on financial speculation, also known as the Robin Hood tax, to raise hundreds of billions of dollars in needed revenue for a healthy economic recovery.

WHERE: New York City on Sept. 17 at 5pm at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (2nd Ave and 47th St).

Can’t make it to New York City?

Please join us online in one or more of the following ways:

  1. Authorize a one-time Tweet or Facebook post about this event using Thunderclap!
    Thunderclap will automatically post the image above on your Facebook page.
  2. Watch and share the LIVE STREAM VIDEO of these actions starting around 6:30pm EST on Tuesday, Sept. 17
  3. Login and LIKE our Robin Hood Tax Facebook page and JOIN our event page.
  4. Read and share the releases:

200 Organizations Urge Obama, Congress to Back the Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street

Nurses, Healthcare Workers in 13 Countries Call for Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street

Don’t know what to write about it?

Copy & paste these sample Tweets onto your Twitter pages:

  • #Nurses around the world came together to create Global Nurses United – #S17 first #GlobalNurses day of action. http://ow.ly/oVzdJ
  • US #nurses march in NYC on #S17 to demand a #RobinHoodTax to #TaxWallstreet. Part of #globalnurses day of action http://ow.ly/oCa4R #RHT
  • Nurses know what patients need. #GlobalNurses across the globe stand up for patients on #S17 http://ow.ly/oCa4R #morenurses
  • Austerity is failing. On #S17, #GlobalNurses send a message: Our patients & communities need more caring, not cuts. http://ow.ly/oVyex
  • On #S17, #nurses around the world hold a global day of action. Follow here -> http://ow.ly/oVyex #globalnurses #morenurses
  • #Nurses worldwide are holding #S17 marches, rallies, petitions to fight against austerity http://ow.ly/oVyex #globalnurses #morenurses
  • We stand with #globalnurses on #S17 – global day of action! #S17 http://ow.ly/oCa4R #morenurses
  • Or write your own tweets using any of these hashtags:  #S17, #RHT, #RobinHoodTax, #TaxWallStreet, #OWS
  • Follow Robin Hood on Twitter: https://twitter.com/robinhoodtax

In solidarity for economic justice,

Thank you,

Karen Higgins, RN

–Karen

Karen Higgins, RN
NNU Co-president

www.NationalNursesUnited.org

www.RobinHoodTax.org

 

09.16.13
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Governor Unveils Healthy PA

The Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA), representing more than 212,000 registered nurses in Pennsylvania, thanks Governor Corbett for bringing nurses to the table as he unveils his HealthyPA initiative. This initiative focuses on providing quality, accessible and affordable health care to the residents of Pennsylvania.

In May 2013, PSNA was a driving force in the passage of SB 5, Community-Based Health Care Programs, paving the way for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to receive grant funding to provide greater access to health care services for underserved citizens. We continue to collaborate with other health care organizations to promote APRNs practicing to the full extent of their education. Through the Pennsylvania Action Coalition, PSNA works to meet the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations set forth by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the AARP to develop and implement long-term sustainable solutions to the health care challenges where nurses are essential partners in providing intraprofessional care. In addition, PSNA advocates for safe staffing legislation (HB 1631), which will focus on patient safety and quality of care. 

“As the HealthyPA Initiative unfolds,” states PSNA CEO Betsy M. Snook, MEd, BSN, RN, “PSNA is committed to supporting provider-neutral language and the inclusion of all registered nurses at decision-making tables. PSNA has long championed that the full contributions of nurses and nursing are essential to the delivery of high-quality, patient-focused care. We thank the Governor for recognizing the value of registered nurses in transforming health care in the Commonwealth.”

09.12.13
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Ask a Travel Nurse: Will a BSN help me secure continuous work as a travel nurse?

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Graduate DiplomaAsk a Travel Nurse Question:  

As a travel nurse, is it fairly easy to work full time continuously without long breaks in assignments? I have an Associate’s Degree in Nursing but am willing to work on a Bachelor’s degree. Do you think a BSN could help me secure more continuous work?

Ask a Travel Nurse Answer:

Although a BSN seems to be the way nursing might be headed, it is not mandatory for travel. But, there are several schools of thought in regard to obtaining your BSN.

Not having a BSN may prevent you from accepting some travel assignments if the facility requires BSN nurses (as some Magnet status hospitals do). However, not all Magnet hospitals will require their travelers to have a BSN. BSN is actually not a requirement in Magnet hospitals, but they prefer that the staff nurses either have their BSN or are working toward it. But with staffing shortages, many Magnet hospitals would rather open themselves up to finding help and not requiring every nurse that walks through their door must possess a BSN.

I have a Diploma of Nursing (3 yr), but really do not wish to return to school. I am still on the fence about whether or not I will, but I am not convinced that with the nurses that are baby boomers retiring, and the addition of the aging baby boomers requiring care, that I will be hard pressed to find a job should I not go back for my BSN. So I suppose it depends on where you fall in your belief of needing one in the future.

As far as the current market, NOT having your BSN will likely have little effect on being able to secure continuous assignments. It may be more about the specialty in which you wish to travel. I know that one of my recruiters mentioned having a very hard time placing med-surg nurses in the entire state of CA at one point this summer. So I would say that increasing the acuity of your nursing specialty would take you further in travel than obtaining a BSN.

I hope this helps.

David

david@travelnursesbible.com

09.12.13
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Nurses are protecting their pensions

Back in 2008, a lot of working folks planning for retirement saw their savings dwindle.  Some saw their net worth spiral downward pretty quickly.  For example, someone who had to invest in a 401(k) retirement fund opened statements to see that a savings of $10,000 had dwindled to $7,000.  Those that could wait have been riding out their disappointment (as well as not opening their retirement savings notices anymore).  Only now, five years later, are they starting to see their nest egg return to its pre-recession figures.  Of course, anyone who needed to retire in 2008 had to cash out for pennies on the dollar.

pension fund audience

Nurses listening to the latest figures on their pension fund.

Nurses, who are vested in the Twin Cities Hospitals-MNA pension, (or worked for Hennepin County Medical Center or the State of Minnesota) didn’t have to worry.   Their retirement benefits continued at the amounts they had earned while their employer had to pay up to ensure the solvency of the pension fund account.  The risk was and still is on their employer to maintain the success of the fund that will pay them through a nurse’s golden years.

At an MNA pension workshop presented by MNA staff on Tuesday, Twin Cities’ MNA nurses learned that their pension fund is alive and well.  Auditors looked hard at the fund and found three key attributes found in not very many other retirement funds (including other pensions).

  1. More nurses are coming into the pension fund than are retiring.  So the fund is growing rather than shrinking as nurses retire.
  2. The fund is seeing healthy contribution levels to maintain and grow the balance of the fund.
  3. The fund is heading back into the safe or “green zone” where auditors would like it to be, probably within 1-2 years.

In addition, pension plan assets are up as of the end of the year 2012, and that means that benefit payments as a percent of contributions are down.  That’s good news for the sustainability of the plan.

Nurses become vested in the pension plan after working five years with at least 1000 hours of service, which means a new nursing graduate could guarantee him or herself a pension benefit to retire on in just five years.  That’s even if they end their nursing career soon after that.

protecting their pensions

Nurses filled the room to hear about why they should protect their pensions.

Because no one can outlive their pension benefits, the total worth of their retirement benefits will be more.  For example, nurses who live 18 years beyond their actuarial life expectancy will see the worth of their lifetime payments double since they began receiving benefit payments. Retirees living longer on 401(k) proceeds will have to figure out how to stretch their dollars as their net worth will become stagnant.

The nurses’ pension plan is a gold mine in a valley that’s been dug by a lot of prospectors.  Nurses should feel safe that their mine will keep paying off while others will be digging for security.