In the last issue of The American Nurse, we looked at some of those threats and their impact on patient care and the nursing profession. In this issue, we examine how nurses are uniting to address dangers in the health care system and to position the profession for the coming century. Specifically, we look at how nurses in collective bargaining units are using striking as a tool of last resort for protecting patient care and the integrity of their jobs.
Nurses discuss the myriad issues surrounding the decision to strike.
Another article focuses on the role of the ANA's National Organizing Campaign in labor successes nationwide. And finally, we take a quick look at how physicians are increasingly joining unions. Recognizing that there is more than one road to nursing unity, we also explore how partnerships among nursing organizations are strengthening the profession. Recent collaborative initiatives among the major nursing organizations include the Best Practices Network and the Future Needs project.