nThe Newsletteru of the Massachusettsr Nursess Associatione n Vol. 90 No. 4 Cooley Dickinson RNs Picket Over Lack of Safe Staffing, Protection, and Support During COVID-19 page 8 September 2020 Look for us on Facebook & Twitter On the web: massnurses.org Executive The Challenge of Change Director’s Column Well I will bet you have been decimated in the pandemic. I and stepping up when we see something never anticipated this do not think those same employees are as unjust — no matter who it affects, and no is what 2020 would thrilled with their employer-based health- matter when or where it occurs. look like. If hindsight care now. Medicare For All would have For the MNA, another change is on the is 2020, we would covered people who lost their jobs, and it horizon. We have had the good fortune have to look back one also would have provided a central vehicle of enjoying the stability and passion of hundred years to the for appropriate public health policy in Donna Kelly-Williams as our president Spanish flu for this dealing with the pandemic. for many years now. Understand that no experience. Suffice it Julie Pinkham At present, we have COVID guidelines one comes to the position on MNA pres- to say, the American that hospitals seem to take great freedoms ident knowing what will unfold during healthcare system, being a market-driven in interpreting, often with cost as their their term, the magnitude of what will be business model, has not served us well. primary driver. Nearly 1,000 healthcare expected of them, or the skills they will Just-in-time staffing and supplies are workers in this country have died from need to refine in order to tackle these bad ideas on a normal day, never mind COVID-19, and the current healthcare unknown challenges. Donna took all when the entire world is vying for N95 system and its fractured market-driven of that on and mastered it, becoming a masks. But never underestimate nurses approach have been a stimulant, not a skillful and passionate leader for our orga- for meeting a challenge when the system is deterrent, for healthcare employers to nization. failing. From the moment it became clear take risks. We should not forget this and I know that many of you have seen her that hospitals had inadequate supplies and use it as motivation to expand Medicare in action over the years, and you know no way to get them, nurses started finding so that all citizens, regardless of age, have that she has been relentless in her pursuit their own supplies. Is it right that they full access to healthcare. to move the agenda of frontline nurses had to do this? No. But was it necessary? And of equal magnitude to the 100- and healthcare professionals forward at Yes. All of you were, and continue to be, year pandemic, we have witnessed the all levels. There is nothing she has not amazing in your fight for what is best for long overdue acknowledgment of racial been willing to learn or to do to help you, both your patients and colleagues during injustice in the United States. It has been the members. Donna cares deeply, and this once-in-a-century event. a deadly plague on our society and with she always fights fiercely for what is right. Likewise, did I ever think the MNA the most recent deaths of George Floyd Her relentless work during these last six would be in the business of procuring and Breonna Taylor, as well as too many months of the pandemic certainly high- PPE? No, but the health and safety staff others, the issue has finally entered our lights that dedication. She was advocating members here in Canton got up and national consciousness. The recognition for you, all of you, at every level around running quickly to get supplies into the that Black Lives Matter has brought with it the clock. And it made a tremendous and hands of members — particularly when the truth and accountability that our soci- powerful difference throughout this pan- the CDC’s answer was to throw out the ety has not treated black and brown people demic. standards since the equipment was not equally. If we want a just and free society, I know that change provides good readily available. Not a lot of science in we as individuals need to change that, and and well-deserved things, including for that approach. black and brown people have every right Donna. But it will be an adjustment for me The COVID-19 pandemic has had, to expect that change immediately. and the organization as a decade of lead- and will continue to have, lasting effects. While deaths have created the public ership transitions in the coming year. As You need to recognize that, and make vehicle for debate, the day-to-day reality these last several weeks of her term unfold, sure to take care of yourself accordingly. is far more insidious. Unfair treatment recognition for her work, her passion, and The MNA staff has worked to create an is equally egregious for not a particular her leadership cannot be overstated. online resource of support and self-help action that you take against another, but Please remember that although we may tools, which is accessible from the MNA’s for those actions that you do not have to be limited in our capacity to be in proxim- homepage at massnurses.org. These take because you are white. Meanwhile ity, we are not limited in our capacity to resources are there to help frontline staff our black and brown brothers and sis- recognize each other and to step up and cope with what they dealt with during the ters must make different decisions with fight for what is right, whatever that fight first wave of the pandemic, and they will a different set of expectations. Innocent may be. remain available during the second wave until proven guilty is not the perception that is likely to come this fall. or experience of all, and until it is, we do I am always happy to fight as hard as not have a racially just and equal society. possible for you and with you … with my I would say the pandemic has been a mask on of course. n sea-change moment for us to reflect on Change needs to happen and what those whether we should continue to tolerate changes need to be must be driven by the nation’s market-driven approach to black and brown people in communities healthcare. So many have argued that throughout the nation, not by platitudes employer-based care is well liked by and public relations gimmicks. These employees and they do not want it taken changes will make us better humans, away. Now millions of employees have better neighbors, and better people. It lost their healthcare as multiple industries begins with each of us communicating 2 September 2020 Massachusetts Nurse Advocate President’s Column As My Term Comes to an End... This is the last for sound information during this pan- absent supplies of PPE. Beyond sounding column I am submit- demic. Even the governor, the secretary the alarm, the MNA went into action and ting to the MassNurse of Health and Human Services, and the cancelled all in-person CEU programs Advocate as the very attorney general were watching, listen- and events. Instead, those resources were proud president of ing to, and communicating with us. Our used to purchase PPE, including masks the Massachusetts weekly letters to and calls with these key for the safety of our healthcare profes- Nurses Association. leaders underscored how much the voices sionals and their patients. Additional For the past 11 and concerns of our frontline nurses and donations were gratefully received from years, I have had healthcare professionals matter at a time other unions and organizations that rec- like this. ognized our desperate situations and our Donna Kelly-Williams the honor and the privilege to serve the Early in 2019, the MNA Board of Direc- struggle to purchase whatever we could to nurses, healthcare professionals, and the tors traversed the state engaging members provide the resources needed. Hospitals profession of nursing in a role that has in conversations about the direction of and their CEOs should be embarrassed increased both the visibility of and respect the MNA over the next five years. This by their greed … providing financially for the organization that has been a very included telephone town hall meetings, so well for themselves and not provid- special part of my life for over 40 years. in-person meetings in the Regions, bar- ing the resources their workforces need to stay safe while caring for patients and Over this time, we have passed the gaining unit meetings, and an online survey. This revealed an opportunity their families. Then they added insult to assault bill, which increases the penalty injury by claiming that staff who were for assaulting a healthcare professional, for member engagement, education, and organizing which were further discussed exposed and/or tested positive somehow and also set into law a limit on the number contracted the virus in the community! of patients assigned to a registered nurse at the 2019 MNA annual meeting, as was at one time in ALL ICUs in the com- the supporting annual budget. Little did As a registered nurse I continue to be monwealth. Although we did not get the we know that lurking was a novel virus humbled by the trust and confidence required votes in our last ballot initiative to that would soon escalate and put all future patients and our communities have in win safe patient limits in all hospital units, planning either on hold or move it in a us.