Hart survey of nurses gets media spotlight 

The program and policy council of the AFT's health care division--the Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals--met May 23 and 24 in Washington, D.C., making one of its first orders of business the creation of a new body to bring more FNHP leaders into the national workings of the union.

The FNHP "Leadership Council," which will be made up of members and leaders from AFT health care locals across the country, will strategize and formulate plans for campaigns and communications related to the FNHP's top issues and concerns.

The health care division policy council members heard from AFT president Sandra Feldman about the tremendous success of a series of radio ads she recently recorded highlighting a Peter Hart Associates poll commissioned by the division. That national survey, the results of which have been highly publicized by media outlets around the country, shows the nursing shortage is going to be far worse than expected if conditions don't change in today's health care facilities.

The terrible working conditions, which are leading to a shortage of nurses, will have a direct impact on all AFT members, not just nurses, FNHP PPC chair and vice president Candice Owley told the AFT executive council in her report on the FNHP.

"Really, your life is in jeopardy because of what's going on [in health care]," Owley said. "Hospitals have been changing staffing ratios, and nurses have taken this up as an issue. Patients are, in fact, dying."