We are kicking off our “Healthcare Workers Vote” campaign in Minneapolis! We’ll be meeting other professionals from around the city and reaching out to our colleagues with information on the healthcare plans of BOTH the presidential candidates.
Healthcare United is building a movement across Minnesota by reaching out to healthcare workers in communities across the state and bringing them together. Healthcare workers are planning meetings in their local communities across the state. To attend an event or plan one in your community click "find/create events" in the action center.
For more information about the getting involved in Minnesota or to RSVP
for our meeting contact Michael Kramer at (612) 227-9582 or email michael.kramer@healthcareunited.org.
Make Calls
To make calls in Minnesota, click on this link to begin making calls to your colleagues with information on BOTH presidential candidates.
Live from the ENA
by Jess Kutch | Sunday, September 28, 2008
We've asked our RNs to blog with us from the ENA Conference in Minneapolis, MN. Below are a few updates from the field:
"We're blogging here at the ENA Conference in Minneapolis, MN. What a
great experience! We are out here educating our fellow nurses on the
presidential candidates' positions on healthcare reform. I've been
hearing amazing stories about our healthcare system from nurses from
all over the country. It's great to see so many nurses with such a
strong desire to learn about healthcare issues and what we, as nurses,
can do to help change our healthcare system."
Kim Wight, RN
Duluth, MN
"...If you care about your health and that of your neighbors, then care about healthcare reform! It is as important as the Wall Street bail out. The health of ourselves and of our neighbors is a reflection of who we are in America. Get involved! Get out and vote for healthcare reform. It's as big of an emergency as I've ever seen!"
June Thompson, RN DrPtl
Winter Garden, Florida
Delivering Your “Prescriptions” to the RNC
by Michael Kramer | Wednesday, September 03, 2008
On Sunday, August 31, the night before the start of the Republican National Convention, Republican members of the Service Employees International Union gathered in St. Paul, Minnesota. This group of union members included healthcare professionals concerned about the state of the healthcare system. Foremost among these was Larry Schindler, a surgery technician at Unity Hospital in Fridley, MN, who volunteered to present Healthcare United’s Prescriptions for Change to the Republican elected officials in attendance.Larry delivered the huge stack of “prescriptions” to Senator Paul Koering, the State Senator from Minnesota’s District 12. As he did so, Larry pointed out one of the submissions that closely matched his own experience as a healthcare professional in Minnesota. Senator Koering listened closely as Larry related his experiences and agreed to deliver the Prescriptions for Change to the RNC.
Thanks to all of those who submitted “prescriptions” and to the efforts of people like Larry, the voice of healthcare workers has reached the conventions of both major political parties. Now it’s time for us to raise that voice even louder and let all the decision makers know that the time for change in healthcare is NOW!
The Heat is On in the Twin Cities!
by Pat Conway, RN | Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Summertime in the Twin Cities is off to a busy start for Healthcare United volunteers. We held our first meet-up over coffee in early June, where myself and another RN hosted a film screening and discussed how transparency and accountability are necessary in reforming our healthcare system. This would impact caregivers from a variety of backgrounds, including RNs, dental hygienists, physical therapists, doctors and pharmacists. We acknowledges that while we all work in a different healthcare areas, we are all healthcare workers.
On June 19th, during a visit by Sen. John McCain to the Twin Cities, I represented Healthcare United at a morning press conference. As an RN and a healthcare reform activist, I stressed that we healthcare workers are the ones we've been waiting for. It's our job to see to it that the broken healthcare system gets fixed. A recent online survey by the Healthcare United campaign demonstrated that healthcare workers are ready to act for change, they're just not sure how. One positive step in that direction is to do all we can to encourage Minnesota healthcare workers to register and vote for change.
In the afternoon of June 19th, I participated in a peaceful demonstration of healthcare workers, peace workers, unions and other activists in front of McCain's hotel. I was able to deliver Healthcare United's survey results on healthcare reform to one of McCain's aides. When I joined together in chanting with other demonstrators, I kicked off the chant: "Patients--before Profits-Healthcare Reform NOW!"
If we all register and vote on Election Day, I know our newly elected officials will hear this chant loud and clear!