An open letter to the nurses of America

I have recently returned from a trip to Africa where I talked with nurse leaders from all over the world. What I have learned is ap- palling.

Unions have targeted nurses world wide as the group to increase their declining ranks. Unions are declaring that they are the spokespersons for nurses and nursing on all issues affecting the profession. Un- ions are fragmenting the nursing profession and eroding the effectiveness of some nurs- ing organizations throughout the world. Not all, of course. Many nurses associations in other countries, such as the Royal College of Nursing in Britain, are strongly active in improving the economic position of their nurses.

As a result, I have done some very seri- ous thinking and have concluded that it is necessary for me, as president of the American Nurses’ Association, to speak out. Through this open letter, I want to tell you what I see and what I believe and what I personally plan to pursue for the remainder of my term as president.

First, to all nurses who are eligible for collective bargaining, I wish to state that this professional association is the best “union” to represent you. Yes, I did say “union”- the professional association, a union of professionals. Too much time has been squandered on discussions of whether we are a union or a professional association. The American Nurses’ Association is both. These semantic games must end! There are too many real battles to win to waste our energy arguing over labels.

When I was elected, I believed that, in spite of the agony many of my colleagues

experience when collective bargaining is either damned or marched for, the time had come to put to rest the nonsense that pro- fessional status, professional security, economic security, and the legal process for collective bargaining was somebody else’s business. I believed then and I be- lieve now that professional self-deter- mination belongs in nursing.

The American Nurses’ Association has a long and distinguished history of fighting for the right of all nurses to practice with pro- fessional dignity. It is only in recent years that labor unions in this country began to pay attention to the needs of registered nurses. Today our accomplishments in promoting and protecting our rights as pro- fessionals have been conveniently ignored by opportunist unions in their efforts to or- ganize registered nurses.

These unions claim they are concerned about your welfare. Does that ring true? Speaking at the 63rd convention of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL- CIO, AFT President Albert Shanker re- sponded to opposition to his spending teachers’ dues to organize nurses with the following:

When we go out there to fight vouchers and tuition tax credits and try to get sup- port for public schools, people are going to ask: How many votes do you have? They are not going to ask: Are the people in your organization teachers or school secretaries or guidance counselors or college professors or para-profes- sionals? They are going to ask: How many votes do you have? . . . I never knew a man who ran for public office who

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cared whether it was a teacher who voted for him or a plumber or anybody else. His union seeks nurse dollars and votes

to promote the welfare of teachers, not nurses.

I would remind you that the American Nurses' Association through its state con- stituents has been involved in collective bargaining for nurses since 1946. We cur- rently represent more registered nurses for collective bargaining purposes than all other labor organizations combined. We are the best representatives for nursing.

In some instances state nurses associ- ations have not been as effective as they desired. Nevertheless, they have been committed to representing nurses in all as- pects of their professional life, and thai in- cludes the economics. I say to you that collective bargaining is both a legitimate and an essential function of this associa- tion: History has demonstrated that this process provides a means to influence the environment in which nursing is practiced and to promote the standards of care to which the public is entitled.

As president of this association I pledge that I will strive to promote unity among its members and synchrony among its activ- ities in economic, education, practice, re- search, and nursing service endeavors.

If you are within the association, please work to build its membership, please work to strengthen our profession. If you are not within the association today, I appeal to you to join with us in a bold move forward, a commitment to the future, and with that, a commitment to our profession.

Second, to all other health care em- ployees, I want you to know that nurses in this country realize that quality health care can not be delivered without the contri- butions of all the skilled and dedicated workers comprising the health care team. Registered nurses are but one component of the health care team. We know you share our concerns and our desires to improve the conditions under which we on the health care team function. Collective bargaining provides a vehicle through which we can address-and resolve-many of our con-

cerns. Third, to all other labor organizations in-

volved in the health care industry, I want to make it unequivocally clear that if you at- tempt to fragment this profession by con- tinuing to seek to organize nurses, we will fight you with all the strength we can mar- shall.

Finally, to employers of nurses, I want to point out how shortsighted it is on your part to hassle nurses for exercising their right to representation. Do you want nurses to be represented by people without expertise in health care? Doesn't this do your institu- tions as well as the nursing profession a disservice?

Nurses will do what needs to be done for nurses. Nurses will decide practice, educa- tion, and service issues.

As president of the ANA, I will not be a silent witness to the assault by other or- ganizations on my profession. I will not sit idly by and let other people speak for nurs- ing.

My observations have compelled me to speak out. I believe that unless we unite now, nurses will lose control of their destiny and their right to practice professionally.

I pledge my own support and solicit the support of others to promote the profession, to keep the integrity of the association intact so that it can increase its position as the representative of nursing and the voice of the profession.

I believe nurses in America need a pro- fessional association. I believe you need an association that cares about your profes- sion.

The American Nurses' Association is that association.

Barbara Nichols, RN President, ANA

Reprinted with permission from the American Journal of Nursing (January 1980) 61.

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