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The Truth Behind Nurses Week (May 6-12)
Since 1990, when the American Nurses Association declared that an entire week – from May 6-12
th (the birthday of Florence Nightingale) would be dedicated to celebrating the nation’s nurses, hospitals and other institutions that employ nurses use Nurses’ Week as a once a year opportunity to make up for any neglect, poor working conditions, or managerial mistreatment that nurses routinely experience in their workplaces. The media also occasionally joins in, hoping that nurses will overlook the fact that reporters consistently neglect the significant role nurses play in healthcare, highlighting instead the accomplishments of those they consider to be more prestigious physicians and bio-medical researchers. Even corporate America tries to burnish its altruistic image by promoting their products and offering freebies to RNs.
Our View: Maine Med nurses vote to have a voice
With a new union, hospital employees will make themselves heard on working conditions and patient care.
By The Editorial Board
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National Nurses’ Week is a time when members of the public raise their voices to thank the men and women at the heart of the health care system.
This year’s festivities were kicked off when the state’s biggest group of nurses broke out something new – a voice of their own.
In a clear and convincing 1,001 to 750 vote that was certified Thursday night, nurses at Maine Medical Center joined a union, for the first time sending representatives to negotiate their pay, benefits and working conditions with hospital management. The Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United will now represent 2,000 registered nurses at Maine Med, the state’s biggest hospital, as well as the Scarborough Surgery Center and the MMC Brighton Campus, in Portland.
Associated Press
The sun s rays shine over the Maine Medical Center in Portland Thursday, July 16, 2015, in Portland, Maine.
The nurses at Maine Medical Center in Portland have voted to form a union.
They voted 1,001-750 in support of certifying the union during
a mail-in election conducted over the last month, according to election results announced Thursday night.
That means they’re now on track to form a collective bargaining agreement with the Maine State Nurses Association. That would potentially give the nurses more of a say in how their facility is run and in the wages and benefits they receive.