News

Hospital-acquired infections cost $10 billion a year

One out of every 20 patients who are admitted to a hospital will fall victim to an infection they pick up while there, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These infections can be serious and even life-threatening, and recent studies have estimated that as many as half of them may be preventable.

HealthDay Reporter

September 10, 2013

CNA union seeks to represent 600 RNs at CPMC's Pacific campus

The California Nurses Association is seeking a secret-ballot union representation election at California Pacific Medical Center's Pacific campus, which it calls "one of the few hospitals in San Francisco where the RNs remain non-union." The Oakland-based union, which represents 85,000 registered nurses in the state, said it asked the National Labor Relations Board on Sept. 5 to schedule an election for the 600 RNs who work on CPMC's Pacific campus in San Francisco's posh Pacific Heights neighborhood.

San Francisco Business Times

September 6, 2013

Monopoly medicine may be bad for your health

Who is really behind the doors at your local “community” hospital? In recent weeks you may have seen a billboard near Barstow Community Hospital with a message from registered nurses, “Protect Our Patients, Don’t Silence Nurses,” and a photo of a real RN (that’s me).

By: Deborah Burger, RN and CNA/NNU Co-president

September 4, 2013

THIS WEEK IN AMERICA - August 30, 2013

A weekly report by NNU on the pulse of Almeria: Fast Food Workers On Strike in 60 Cities. Record Bank Profits Reported. Healthcare Systems Ranked Around The World. For-Profit Dialysis Companies Flex Muscle in Congress.

National Nurses United

August 30, 2013

Sutter electronic records system went down in East SF Bay

The electronic health record system at seven East Bay hospitals, medical offices and clinics went dark on Monday in an unplanned outage. The information technology system had been down for a planned upgrade Friday. At about 8 a.m. Monday, the electronic health record system at seven East Bay hospitals, medical offices and clinics went dark. The meltdown continued through late afternoon or early evening, according to early reports from the California Nurses Association.

Sacramento Business Journal

August 27, 2013

Palomar Health Reaches Four-Year Deal With Nurses, Caregivers

Nurses and other caregivers at Palomar Health have tentatively agreed to a new four-year contract that covers more than 3,000 employees at three North County hospitals. The new labor agreement calls for raises of up to 14.75 percent over four years. After months of negotiations, nurses convinced management to drop cuts in retirement benefits.

KPBS News

August 20, 2013

Chevron Feels the Summer Heat in Richmond, CA

Last Saturday, August 3, a broad coalition of labor, indigenous, health and environmental justice groups marched to the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California, marking the one-year anniversary of the explosion and fire that sent smoke billowing into the air and 15,000 area residents to the hospital with respiratory problems. Nineteen refinery workers were lucky to escape the incident alive.

The Progressive

August 12, 2013

International Nurse News Round-Up

See a collection of links to news stories about nurses in other nations, and how they are advocating for their patients.

Global Nurses United

August 9, 2013

Ballot Question Would Set Nursing Levels

The Massachusetts Nurses Association has filed a ballot initiative that would require one nurse for every four patients in medical or surgical units, one nurse for up to three patients in emergency departments and one nurse for every two patients in critical care units.

WGGB.com

August 9, 2013

Study: Single-payer healthcare system would save billions

Expanding the nation’s Medicare program to cover people of all ages would save the government billions of dollars, according to a new study released Wednesday.

TheHill.com

August 7, 2013