I think we RN's are targeted because we are predominately women, and thus we are talked over like children, bullied, and asked to justify why we deserve the same benefits as other educated professionals.

I am afraid the registry* RN had little or no experience, had no resources or backup, and was in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar equipment. The registry failed her and the patient.

The strike could have been averted if Sutter Exec's had come to negotiate in earnest. Sutter is trying to take advantage of fear about the economy, the political climate, and ignorance about health care operations.

CNA has allowed us to bargain for patient safety. If you believe that corporate decisions are made based on what is best for the patient, you are naive.

It may well be that we end up paying for part of our health benefits. What you don't know is that with each round of negotiations Sutter has presented more "takeaways", we have not gotten to the give and take, we are stuck in the take and take.

If you had any idea what takes place in the hospital you would be chilled. We are not enabled to succeed, but rather challenged to maintain safety. We are the only entity that provides direct care without being reimbursed based on the itemized care/procedures/diagnostics/or unit designation we provide.

Our advocacy is based solely on the well being of our patients. I have gone nose to nose with physicians, and administrators for my patients.

I check your medications for appropriateness, dosage, timeliness, and contraindications. I assess and make recommendations, I intervene, I check your skin, wipe your bottom, turn and position you for comfort, and provide pain medication.

I maintain your vital signs with medications, I monitor your ventilator. I will give you CPR, defib you with 200j biphasic, push epi, bicarb, calcium and save your life.

I will do all this at the sacrifice of my physical well being, because you are a human life and I value you.

You should value me. I am what stands between you and disaster. If you think I ask too much that's OK. I will still care for you, because I am a nurse.

*The registry RN she refers to was a "traveling" nurse which Sutter used during the one-day nurses strike, and for the five day lockout period during which Sutter refused to allow regularly scheduled nurses to return to work.