This document outlines a student nurse's project to raise awareness about nursing activism and staffing issues. It discusses research showing links between low nurse staffing levels and increased patient infections and injuries. The student plans to educate themselves on nursing strike issues, interview a union member, and create and post flyers in the community. The flyers aim to increase awareness of the nursing shortage and push for fixed nurse-to-patient ratios to improve care quality. The student reflects on meeting with a union member, creating an informative poster, and feeling proud to raise awareness for this important issue.
2. Activism for nursing Patients cared for in low staffed hospitals are 68% more likely to acquire a preventable infection (Medical Care, June 2007) The Institutes of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences reports that “nurse staffing levels affect patient outcomes and safety”. Insufficient monitoring of patients, caused by poor working conditions and the assignment of too few RNs, increases the likelihood of patient injury and death (IOM, Nov. 4 2003).
3. Activism for nursing Project plan Educate myself on the issues that have lead up to the recent nursing strike Research the nursing union in my area Identify and contact a member of the Minnesota Nurses Association Meet/Interview union member Create an awareness flyer Post flyers in my community
4. Activism for nursing Goal- Increase awareness within my local community regarding the nursing shortage
5. Activism in nursing Researched local nursing union on the internet http://www.mnnurses.org http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Media/thousands-nurses-strike-minnesota/story?id=10875712 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/11-0
6. Activism in nursing Emailed and set up a meeting with Therese Daniel, a member of the 3rd district Minnesota Nurses Association Met with Therese on to discuss the rational behind their recent protest and discuss poster project
7. Activism in nursing Created Poster SUPPORT OUR NURSES What are they fighting for? A fixed staff to patient ratio to improve the quality of patient care Insufficient monitoring of patients, caused by poor working conditions and the assignment of too few RNs, increases the likelihood of patient deaths and injuries (IOM, Nov. 4, 2003). 1/3 of Minnesota residents say the quality of care they or a loved one received during hospitalization was negatively impacted by too few nurses on duty at the time. To see what you can do to support nurses, go to http://www.mnnurses.org/about-us/support-minnesota-nurses
