In the News: Kaiser Nurse Strike

Nurse strikes happen. And when they do it’s often traveling nurses who step in as replacements to ensure that patient care does not suffer while their peers make a statement about safe staffing levels, contract negotiations, and other such issues. Currently in the news: the Kaiser Nurse Strike.

This week, an estimated 16,000-18,000 nurses went on a two-day strike from Kaiser Permanente hospitals in California’s Bay Area and nearby locations. The buzz has been that the nurses are striking about a perceived lack of Ebola preparedness. But, according to NBC Bay Area, a spokeswoman from the California Hospital Association, Jan Emerson-Shea, says the California Nurses Association union is “using the crisis to further its own agenda.” Emerson-Shea told NBC Bay Area that the union was “using Ebola as a ruse.”

The timing of the strike coincides with the National Nurses United union’s national “day of action” through which thousands more nurses across more than a dozen states have been rallying behind enhanced Ebola preparedness. In response specifically to the Ebola issue, Kaiser says it, “thoroughly follows state and federal protocols on Ebola preparation and response.”

According to NBC Bay Area, “The registered nurses on strike said they need Kaiser to focus on enhancing staffing levels to ensure safe patient services, for instance, not rushing a patient out on early discharge.”

A Kaiser rep countered that the system “matches the nursing staff to patient needs,” adding that Kaiser has “incredibly safe staffing” and offers resources in support of its nursing staff.

The Kaiser system and the California Nurses Association union have reportedly been in contact negotiations since July 2014, and reports indicate that these talks have been very strained.

Kaiser hospitals and facilities have stayed open during the strike, with replacement nurses providing patient care for them to do so.

Here’s hoping that whatever the outcome is, it includes safe staffing levels which are optimum for preventing nurse burnout and providing safe patient care.

Looking for a reason to celebrate this week? Friday, October 10, 2014, is Travel Nurses Day 2014.

This is the second annual Travel Nurses Day, after the holiday was created in 2013 by travel nursing staffing agency Medical Solutions. According to their blog, “It’s a day set aside to honor all of the amazing, adventurous, adept Travel Nurses out there.”

Games and chances to win prizes are the way they’re celebrating Travel Nurses Day 2014 at TravelNursesDay.com. Games include three photo finds (spot the differences between two photos), three Travel-Libs (choose certain words to fill out a story about travel nursing), and a quiz to determine “Where should I travel next?”

Playing the games makes traveling nurses eligible to win one of the prizes, from a pretty impressive pot, including:

• One $2500 vacation voucher to a destination of the winner’s choice
• Three Kindle Fire HD 6 tablets
• Fifteen $50 gift cards from Zappos, Amazon, and Starbucks
• Three $50 gift cards from Tafford Uniforms

It’s pretty nice to have your own day to be celebrated as a travel nurse!

Visit Travel NursesDay.com to play games, sign up for alerts, and learn more.

Happy Nurses Week 2014! Let’s celebrate!

We hope all of you nurses out there are enjoying a Happy Nurses Week 2014!

The theme for Nurses Week 2014 is “Nurses Leading the Way.” All nurses, including traveling nurses, do SO much to lead and support within the healthcare industry. It’s really great that once a year we take a whole week to celebrate the hard work and compassion of awesome nurses.

Here are a few cool things going on this year for Nurses Week 2014:

The American Nursing Association offered up this cool Nurses Week History.

Like in many years before, Cinnabon is doing its giveaway for nurse professionals during Nurses Week. Just bring in your badge, May 6-12, to get a free Classic Cinnamon Roll or Minibon Roll.

Medical Solutions is doing some fun stuff over at WeLoveOurNurses.com:

• Real Nurses of Nurses Week gallery where you can add your nurse bio and picture
• A Share Your Best Nursing Story contest w/ prizes like free massages and scrubs
• Third annual Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship contest — click here to enter.
• Shareable eCards and the #yournursesweek for social media

NursingCenter.com is doing:

• Free access to some of its most popular journal articles
• An image contest exemplifying this year’s theme, Nurses Leading the Way, and a word search puzzle
• Daily features on inspirational nurses
• A free National Nurses Week webinar

Gypsy Nurse, sponsored by Atlas Medstaff, is taking nominations for your “Gypsy Florence Nightingale” — click here to nominate.

Mighty Nurse is doing a Nurse Mad Libs drawing with a Southwest gift card for the prize and is also announcing its scholarship winner this week.

Scrubbed In is sharing a “Wish a Day” for nurses on its blog.

Many hospitals and others are also doing special things this week to honor nurses — so keep your eyes peeled from promotions and discounts May 6-12. We hope you all get a chance to unwind a bit through some of this Nurses Week fun and that you know how very grateful we all are for nurses! Happy Nurses Week 2014!