SEIU Nevada RNs at Renown Tell Their Stories!
RENO, April 4, 2008 – Nurses enter the nursing profession out of a desire to care for patients. An important part of that role is being a patient advocate. As frontline caregivers at the bedside, we know what works and what we need to do to improve patient care. As SEIU Nevada members, Renown nurses want to be advocates for better patient care for our whole community.
Renown nurses have been in contract negotiations since November 2007, but have decided to take their cause to the public as the hospital has yet to seriously consider any of nurse proposals to improve patient care.
Consider a recent news report on Reno’s Channel 4 – Renown Chief Nursing Officer Ron Laxton had nothing to say when asked about his response to recommendations from nurses to help make sure there are enough staff at the bedside. That same news report validated nurses’ concerns about the lack of appropriate staffing at Renown, and the consequences for patient care and working conditions for nurses.
This Saturday, nurses are holding a Rally Sign-Making Party. The rally next week is to encourage their hospital to commit to improving healthcare standards by agreeing to a contract at Renown that respects nurses as patient advocates!
My Story, by Lori Millard- Streeter, RN Labor and Delivery
“I became a nurse because I wanted have a job where I made a difference every day. Being an advocate for my patients is a big part of that. Patients and their worried families shouldn’t have to wonder about the quality of care they receive – they need to know that their nurse will be able to take care of them.
“I joined SEIU Nevada so that, together, my co-workers and I could have a voice to improve health care standards for our community. We all have a stake in making sure nurses can do their job.
“My family and I are really looking forward to the pre-rally party tomorrow. I know the Reno community will stand with their nurses and that together, we can all work to improve health care standards.”
Join the Nurses at a Rally Sign-Making Party!
WHAT: SEIU Nevada members and their families gather to make signs for a rally for quality care.
WHEN: Saturday, April 5, 10:30 AM
WHERE: Girl Scout Conference Center: 605 Washington St.
SEIU Nevada nurses are asking Renown – help us spend more time helping patients by fully staffing our hospital!
This is the 4th story in a 10-day countdown to the SEIU nurses at Renown’s rally for patient care on April 10. For more information about SEIU contract negotiations at Renown, to interview a nurse or to talk to an academic expert about why we need enforceable staffing ratios in our hospitals, contact Hilary Haycock at 745-1532 or hhaycock@seiunv.org. Or visit our website at http://www.seiunv.org/healthcare/renonurses/Default.aspx.