To SNA members-

There is a nationwide uprising of nurses in this country- we hope you have heard!

Nurses across this country are sick and tired of being understaffed, underpaid, being discriminated against and constant violence brought against us without repercussion or adequate support for our mental and physical safety. The last two years have only exacerbated the situation. On January 24, nearly 200 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to the White House Covid 19 Response coordinator, Jeffery Zients, asking him to investigate nurse staffing agencies for taking advantage of the current difficult nurse shortages.

California is the only state with nurse-to-patient ratios, but even in our state, we have to fight to staff to acuity. Workplace violence continues, despite laws to have plans in place.

What the politicians and hospital administration fail to do, is look at the reason for the “shortages”. In reality, there are nurses, but they are leaving the bedside. Fix the work environment, provide safe staffing ratios, stop allowing violence and discrimination-zero tolerance, and then maybe there will be nurse recruitment and retention.

Our voices need to be heard! Hospital administrators need to hear our voices. Regulatory agencies need to hear our voices. Legislators need to hear our voices. The public needs to hear our voices.

The National Nurses March is on May 12 in Washington D.C.      www.nationalnursesmarch.org

The SNA board has voted to provide a scholarship for those who wish to go and be a part of this historic movement.

Please fill out the application emailed to you, and email it back to snanews@sonic.net, subject National Nurses March.

In solidarity

The SNA Board