I just returned from the NTI/AACN conference this week in Chicago, where Value Care member Patty Stewart, RN from Denver, Colorado, and I met and introduced RNs to Healthcare United at an evening reception on Monday. Approximately 40 to 50 Nurses from Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, California and Idaho attended the reception. As RNs typically do, they asked a lot of questions about Healthcare United.  We answered each question, speaking of how we're uniting with other health care professionals to win healthcare reform. Many of these RNs stepped forward to be leaders in our campaign, and I look forward to hearing from them in the weeks and months ahead.

In addition to the reception, Healthcare United sponsored a hospitality suite to mingle and discuss the issues facing critical care RNs. The RN attendance at this conference was estimated at around 10,000, so needless to say, both Patty and I were able to meet a great cross section of nurses.

Julia Greene and Lynette Pitcock, as well as other organizers, did a great job of welcoming nurses to our area, and they helped work the room so that RNs got the information they needed about the campaign. We also encouraged RNs to speak to other RNs about Healthcare United and send them to our booth at the event which started the following morning. I've heard reports from our booth at the conference this week that nearly 500 RNs have joined Healthcare United. I'm so thrilled to welcome these nurses to our campaign!

It is a true testimony that when you talk to RNs about the important role they play in the health care system, most RNs "get it" and are eager to do their part.

I want to personally thank Patty Stewart, who, at the very last minute, dropped everything to make the trip to Chicago and help out with this very important event.  Patty is a member of AACN, so she brought her own credentials to the event and made it even better. I had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face with RNs who told me they receive my emails from Value Care, Value Nurses and love what we do.  So, all in all, it was a great event and a great beginning to a joint effort by Value Care, Value Nurses and Healthcare United. Together, we will make healthcare reform a reality in 2009!

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