Nursing Law & Order

Nurses and Law School: take a look at these videos on You Tube

I graduated from law school in 1997 and have been in active law practice for 12 years. Times have changed since I attended law school as students are taking on even more debt and the employment prospects after law school are not as "peachy and rosy" as you would believe.

I receive emails and phone calls from nurses considering law school. If you want to go to law school then just do it like Nike but anyone seriously considering law school now needs to look at the tier of the law school you are attending, your undergraduate, graduate, and/or law school debt, your employment options post-graduation, and a boat load of other factors before taking the leap.

I took the leap and law school was one of the best decisions I made. I can smile now but it was tough and there were many days I went to work in tears, left work in tears, and questioned whether I made the right decision as new lawyer in years 1-4 post graduation. I have a journal of my law school journey and post-graduation years from 1-5 and it still brings me to tears.  

As a nurse you may or may not have better employment options post-graduation from traditional law students. But nothing prepares you the long hours, learning curve, politics, and social dynamics of a law firm (small, medium, or big firms) and law practice not even working days in a busy teaching hospital. You think working with physicians is a challenge try working with  partners and senior associates in a law firm. Solo practice and starting your own firm (which is what I did) is an option but this is another leap in itself.

Nothing is certain and guaranteed in life and the same holds true with a law degree as many law graduates and attorneys are learning:

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-_wDwmOQ1U&feature=response_watch

Also make sure you view a Law School Carol 2, 3, 4, and 5 and also A Law School Carol Epilogue and Versatility of a Law Degree videos which are available on the right side of the page.  

Will Your State Legislature "Florida Senate Bill 1986" you in the future?

Nurses, this is why as a profession we must start supporting nursing professional associations (even if its just with dues money) because its these associations that lobby the legislature and monitor legislation affecting nurses and the profession of nursing in a particular state.

Have you heard about Florida Senate Bill 1986? See http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/laws.html.

Will you be Florida Senate Bill 1986'ed by your State legislature in the future? Think of the number of students in school, licensees, and training programs which will be directly affected by this legislation. What about the folks who need to renew a license and cannot because of Senate Bill 1986? I understand the stated rationale but I am questioning how did this type of legislation get passed in the first place? I guess that's like asking who was minding the store front during a riot but golly.

Where were the lobbyists for the healthcare professional associations in Florida when this passed? Was a siren or alert sent out to all the folks, institutions, ect. directly or indirectly impacted by this legislation before it passed? Was there testimony provided by healthcare training programs and healthcare professional associations against this legislation? Schools should have bused in students by the busload to testify against this legislation and healthcare professional associations should have done the same with licensed professionals.  

Some states are trying to find ex-offenders jobs and training to succeed while others are barring them out of professions, occupations, and certain employment. Its becoming tougher in some states to find employment or obtain a license with criminal convictions.  

More About Birchaven: Is this the future of nursing or just an anomaly?

See http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2009/Nov/06/ar_news_110609_story4.asp?d=110609_story4,2009,Nov,06&c=n.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are the lessons to be taken from this situation for nurses? This case has it all: State Nursing Board and Office of Attorney General investigation, criminal charges, and a wrongful discharge lawsuit. 

Is the future of nursing where you are termed, reported to the State Nursing Board, criminally charged, and then you have to file a wrongful discharge lawsuit?

Is this an anomaly in nursing or is this the future of nursing practice?

Nurses really need to be more independent like physicians and instead of being employees, should have some type of alternative employment situation like being an independent contractor or being an employee but having an employment contract.

Someone told me this case is why nurses should consider unions. I laughed. Some nursing unions do some good and I am by no means anti-union in nursing. But in my opinion nursing unions are not the cure for what ails nursing.  

I am seeing more cases like Birchaven but these cases don't make the news. I tell you, healthcare organizations will term a nurse who has worked at a facility 10, 15, or 20 years as fast as they will term a new grad on a 90 day probationary agreement. I had a client tell me last week she was going to PA school and transitioning out of nursing because nurses are under the microscope in healthcare facilities about everything. Then it turns into someone telling you "I can have your license for this!" "We are required to report you to the Board" "We are running this by legal counsel but we think we will have to report" and the rest of one-liners that strike fear into the heart and mind of a nurse.

Do you think the system is designed to find fault with the nurse because the nurse is the first and last line of "defense" at the bedside. 

Until nurses start sticking together and moving toward in unity (which is really hard to do in a female dominated profession) nursing will continue to see more situations like Birchaven. Would this happen like this to a teacher? police officer? fireman? college professor? hospitalist physician? hospital-based dentist? Frack no.

So why is this scenario becoming more prevelant in nursing?

The greedy lawyer in me says well its more State Nursing Board complaints and possibly more money for me so I can do the money dance. But the nurse in me says its unfair (but so is life) and ponders and postulates about solutions and systems to balance the scales.  The Sleeper Must Awaken. http://flavor8.com/index.php/2007/07/21/the-sleeper-must-awaken-dune/

Nursing Professional Associations Are Struggling for Members: Nursing Associations of the Past Should not be the Nursing Associations of the Future

I supported the Licensed Practical Nurse Association of Ohio (LPNAO) in the past by purchasing a booth, donating products, or buying advertisement in program meeting brochures. LPNAO like many other nursing professional associations is struggling financial because membership is decreasing. See the President's message at http://www.lpnao.org/.

Why are nursing professional associations struggling for membership? Why don't nurses support the very professional associations which purportedly represent them and the profession? Do you feel that the nursing professional associations adequately represent the profession of nursing? Are there too many nursing professional associations? There are national, state, local, and specialty nursing associations around the country and the majority of RNs, some three million, yes 3 million, do not belong to ANY nursing professional association whether its a national, local, state, or specialty association.

I must add in fairness to nursing associations/organizations that membership in all professional associations across the spectrum are down because of the economy.

http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/ANowDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=44103

http://www.issociate.com/issociate-101/Postings/Association-Help/How-social-networking-could-end-professional-associations/default.aspx

http://www.canadianmarketingblog.com/archives/2009/05/professional_associations_repo.html

http://www.ammr.com/PayingTheirDues.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/14/AR2008121401638.html

http://meetingsnet.com/associationmeetings/mag/meetings_associations_aim_generation/

http://blogs.capella.edu/askdoctoraladvising/2009/10/07/professional-associations-do-i-have-to/

http://www.publicrelationsprincess.com/2009/10/are-professional-associations-obligated-to-help-job-seekers.html

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/114080275/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

http://www.dcardillo.com/articles/assoc.html

http://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/ana-membership-388073.html

See

http://www.nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/Links/SpecialtyNursing.aspx

What does that say to you as a nurse? How many nursing professional association do you belong to at this point? Are you planning to continue your membership?

I belong to the American Nurses Association, the Center for American Nurses, the Ohio Nurses Association, and the Southwestern Ohio Nurses Associations. I pay close to $36.00 a month to belong to all four of these organizations. I also belong to The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) and I pay $170.00 a year.

I can tell you as one who has been active in nursing professional associations that those who participate in the associations, run the committees, and do the work of the association, don't understand why the majority of nurses don't join. Its almost like "oh those nurses who don't join don't know any better" and "we who do join, belong, and actively participate are doing so because other won't." I have been told that "somone must do the work of the profession even if the majority of nurses don't belong to the association."

Its easy to fall into this self-defeating train of logic and thinking but honestly after participating in several nursing professional associations on the national, state, and local levels for years, I can see why the majority of nurses don't belong to some of these organizations. I don't say this as a slap in the face to any one organization or association but I don't think the powers that be in some associations "get it" or understand what needs to be done or want to do what needs to be done to be appealing to the vast majority of nurses.

What got a small percentage of nurses to join these association twenty or thirty years ago (hell even 10 years ago) is not working. Case in point. Alot of nursing students support the National Student Nurses Association but then don't transition into membership in a nursing professional association. Why?

What do these organizations/associations need to do to get the majority of nurses in the United States to belong to an association/organization?

I look at the American Bar Association. I belong to the American Bar Association and the Ohio Bar Association. There are also a number of specialty bar association like nursing associations. A large percentage of attorneys join the American Bar Association. Don't say its because attorneys have more money because some attorneys make less than what some nurses earn in a year.

I wouldn't part with my ABA membership of the value of the products I receive from the Bar Association and the ABA is involved in everything legal and advocating for attorneys on every topic here in the US and overseas.

With Web 2.0 and online communities and training of a new and the next generation of nurses, the demands of nursing practice and balancing a life outside of your role, the nursing associations of the past should not be the nursing associations of the future.

Is it the End of Lawyers? Not this one. Is it the End of Nurses? Not this one.

I ordered a book titled the End of Lawyers by Richard Susskind from Amazon. It should be delivered this week. http://www.susskind.com/endoflawyers.html

Is it the End of Lawyers? Maybe some law firms and attorneys will go the way of the dinosaurs but not this one. Some lawyers and law firms don't want to see themselves as a business and only want to look at the practice of law as profession. The practice of law is a profession and business and both of these concepts are very important.

I remember being told "a law practice representing nurses isn't a viable concept." Really! I did things my way from the beginning for better and for worse and the kinks are rolling out. I am not a traditional attorney and I did not want to have a traditional law practice with traditional clients and a traditional law office. I was told 10 years ago that attorneys shouldn't be consultants and you should focus exclusively on the law. Whatever. I have a law firm and a consulting firm and one of my goals for next year is to grow my consulting practice.

I love working on the marketing, advertising, selling, and business development practices in my law and consulting firms. I started my law practice from scratch like my Mississippi Mud Pie (which is soooo delicious by the way) and therefore I learned early that you have to market yourself, differientiate your law practice from the thousands of other lawyers out there, practice law, and keep your clients happy.

It may be the end for some lawyers but not this one, baby. I am the only RN-JD who practices law in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and represents, counsels, and advises nurses in State Nursing Board and professional practice matters. This didn't happen over night but I have worked hard and I am still working hard to develop my law practice and run my business. I don't have any plans to hire additional attorneys as I like working one or one with my clients because this isn't just a job or something I do to make "a buck."

It depends on your perspective. Are you just here? Are you just living life? Are you just going through the motions and you are oblivious to the path and the destination being plotted? Or are you fulfilling your destiny like Luke Skywalker? Use the force, Luke!!!

Maybe I have watched one too many Sci Fi movies but life is so much more interesting when you are striving to be the person you dreamed you could be and each page that you turn in this massive book called life is a journey.  

Is it the end of nurses? Do you see nursing as a profession and a business? Is the practice of nursing a business? Are nurses prepared by nursing schools/colleges to see the practice of nursing as a business and a profession?

How are you positioning yourself for the nursing workforce of the future?

Hi Doctor, I don't know you and you don't know me but I need free medical advice and I need it now over the phone!

This is precisely why I don't provide free legal advice or counseling over the telephone anymore. You cannot contact any other professional and request free advice and counseling over the phone without an expectation of payment. I called my doc about my back and she replied "How's my favorite lawyer? Make an appt. and come see me."

I am happy to report that I am close to hiring a legal assistant to work me with 30 hours a week. I conducted my last round of interviews yesterday and my legal assistant is starting work on November 2, 2009. This is my first employee and I am excited and I will work very closely with this person throughout the day on a variety of cases and projects.

My receptionist and assistant will act as gatekeepers. Most attorneys and law firms have receptionists and legal assistants to do the same. You cannot contact an attorney who you don't have any type of relationship with and expect to just start asking this attorney questions. I take calls and speak with my law office clients throughout the day without an issue but these are nurses who have retained me and paid me to be in a professional attorney-client relationship with them. I am always available to speak with my law firm clients.

When my assistant explains the benefits of a legal consultation, most nurses say "I don't have any money" "I thought attorneys do these for free" and make other remarks. My favorite is "I can open the yellow books and get this for free from an attorney." Most do not schedule legal consultations which is fine and we refer to www.taana.org for assistance.

When the day comes that you can open the yellow pages to the attorney section and just randomly pick out an attorney who can competently, adequately, and skillfully provide with you legal advice and counseling and/or representation in a State Nursing Board matter or counsel and advise you on the finer points at the intersection of nursing law, ethics, and professional practice standards and the law, legalities, and legal issues confronting nurses daily in the highly regulated healthcare environment, I will retire.  Until then I am "going hard" with my career because my law and consulting practices are unique and I love what I do for a living, don't you? http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=going+hard

This week alone I had at least 8 nurses contact me who needed a legal consultation. I guess its the end of the year and its going down (meaning its on and popping) in some facilities! There was an expectation from each of these nurses that they could just call my office, speak with me immediately, and I would answer all of the their questions, and provide with free legal advice and counseling regarding their specific situation for 20-30 minutes. You have got to be kidding, get the f*&% out of here!!

The only exception are nurses who have a forthcoming or pending State Nursing Board matter in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. I take these calls, speak with the nurses for 15 minutes or so to get a feel for the issues, and either mail or email the nurse additional information about the legal services provided by my firm and how I can assist them in the State Nursing Board matter.

I cannot provide free legal advice, representation, or counseling to anyone; our mortgage payment won't let me do it. We happily refer nurses to www.taana.org or to their State Nurses Association for information and to seek the assistance of a pro bono nursing law attorney. 

Do you work for free as a nurse? Do you provide skilled nursing services with no expectation of payment? Of course not. I don't and the same applies to most nursing law attorneys that I know.

Nursing Documentation Disasters: My Top 10 for the Funky Stuff

I am hearing about some pretty wild things going on related to nurses and documentation. So here it is, my top ten documentation disasters for the funky stuff (this is a legal term):

1. Charting ahead. Oh you know what I mean. Its only 8pm and you have charted up until 5am the next day for your 7pm-7am shift.

2. Addendums. Making addendums or changes in a medical record or on patient care documentation in violation of your facility policy.

3. Submission of false billing documentation for skilled nursing services provided and you are paid for those services. Why are you submitting notes for services you didn't provide anyway? Have you ever heard of fraud or theft?

4. Signing off documentation, charts, or flowsheets using someone else's signature. WTF, why are you intializing or signing "anything" for someone else anyway?

5. Destroying, concealing, creating, or alterating any type of medical record, flowsheet, competency, etc. after an incident to paint a prettier picture of the incident. What is your intent here?

6. Charting you peformed a task or skill on a flow sheet or in the medical record and you didn't perform the skill or task.

7. Sneaking a peek at the electronic medical records of your neighbors, family, and friends who are admitted to your hospital and you are not assigned to provide care for these individuals.

8. Getting sloppy with your administration, handling, and documentation of controlled substances in a hospital. Its your career and your license on the line. The Pharmacy Board and the police may get involved so don't be surprised.

9. Getting sloppy with your administration, handling, and documentation and counting of controlled substances in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Its your career and your license on the line. The Pharmacy Board and the police may get involved so don't be surprised.

10. The cover-up or a conspiracy (two or more nurses) to cover-up is always worse.

Have you ever heard of monkey see, monkey do?

If a nurse colleague jumped off a bridge, would you do the same just because your colleague did it?

My grandmother would say this to us all of the time growing up. LaTonia, if you saw one of your friends jump off a bridge, would you jump off the bridge? I would always so "no" of course but peer pressure is a "mother" also. Get it, now that's funny.

Trying to cover-up and conceal 1-9 and using deceit, deception, and dishonesty to rationalize your behaviors, actions or inaction when 1-9 occurs or you know that 1-9 is happening on your unit or floor and you do nothing. Remember, there is a Code of Ethics for Nurses and nursing laws and rules governing your practice.

If the funky stuff is happening on your unit, contact your State Nurses Association or a nursing law attorney in your state or jurisdiction to determine what are your reporting obligations.

Attention RN and LPN Ohio Independent Providers: Fraudulent Billing is a legal nightmare you may never wake up from, so don't do it!

If you are a nurse and you are working as an independent provider, please make sure you are billing the State of Ohio for the skilled nursing services provided in an accurate, truthful, ethical, and professional manner. Follow the guidelines and regulations for billing home care services. Don't think "Oh no one will know or find out" because chances are someone will and you will be held accountable and responsible for your actions. There is no passing the buck when it comes to being paid for services that you were not legally entitled to be paid for in the eyes of the law in this economy. The State of Ohio takes this cases very seriously because this is taxpayer's money.

There are more and more nurses every year who are working as Ohio independent providers (essentially home care nurses) and who are being investigated for fraudulent billing by the Ohio Attorney General's Office and subsequently the Ohio Board of Nursing.

These cases are complicated and serious because multiple issues and agencies become involved and the consequences of these types of cases can rip your nursing career apart for several years going forward.

I had a ball presenting yesterday at the Sharonville Convention Center

I really enjoyed the group of nurses I presented to yesterday at the Sharonville Convention Center. The nurses asked alot of good questions and I really wish we had more time for questions and answers.

License Renewal: Make Sure You Renew Your License and Certifications to Practice Nursing

The deadline for the Ohio Board of Nursing license renewal was Monday, August 31, 2009. I have already received two inquiries from RNs who did not renew their license and continued to practice.

This isn't legal advice, of course but:

1. You cannot practice nursing on a lapsed license; you must renew your license to practice ASAP;

2. Practicing on a lapsed license may subject you to a disciplinary investigation and possible action against your license by the State Nursing Board.

If you are a APRN make sure you renew your certifications also. If you are a APRN with prescriptive authority, make sure you renew (depending on the state) here also. If you have a DEA license, make sure you renew.

Regardless of the state where you practice, make sure you renew your nursing license before it lapses. The deadline for license renewal in Kentucky and Indiana is fast approaching. The deadline for Kentucky and Indiana is October 31, 2009.

If you have to make an affirmative response on your application for renewal, don't wait until the last minute to renew your license. Just a suggestion. Don't fudge on your answers either. If you are questioning whether or not to self-disclose or report, contact a nursing law, license defense, health care law, or administrative law attorney in your state.

My Grandmother is Recovering!

My grandmother is recovering after her surgery. One of the nurses, a male nurse when he could not understand her would say to her "what?" "what did you say?" in a condescending manner. I am not a nurse who attempts to micromanage the care provided to a hospitalized family member, believe I am not.

But I approached the nurse after he left the room and has a nice chat with him. This nurse is obviously a new nurse and I asked him not to address my grandmother in this manner. I also instructed him in our culture, I am black if you didn't know, it is a sign of disrespect to address an elderly black women or man in this manner. 

Even if you don't take CE on cultural diversity, I would think this should be a common sense way of treating and caring for elderly patients regardless of color or nationality.  

This is to the "Nurse of the Year" in CT who isn't really a Nurse; Stay in Your Role Sweetie, Whatever it is!!

http://www.examiner.com/a-2156703~Officials___Nurse_of_the_Year__not_really_a_nurse.html?cid=rss-Connecticut_Headlines

Maybe its in the water and maybe it the economy as my grandmother says but I have had two phone calls in the last two months involving folks pretending to be nurses and it bothers me.

Unless you are RN, LPN, or APRN, you should not refer to yourself as a nurse or hold yourself as being a nurse. Hell, I am a nurse, and when I advertise my legal services in states where I am licensed to practice law but not licensed as a nurse, I say, I am a licensed RN in Ohio.

This is criminal people and most folks who are doing this mess fail to appreciate the seriousness of the accusations. Oh my "wife was signing her name RN and she is really a hairdresser." "I attended nursing school but stopped 2 credits from graduation and have worked as a nurse ever since."

Other issues I see are nursing students claiming to be licensed nurses, LPNs in nursing school claiming to be RNs, RNs claiming to be APRNs, etc. Don't mistate your credentials or licensure folks because it gets ugly very quick.

There is plenty of other stuff to lie in your life about if you like lying, but if you are a nurse or a nursing student, please don't lie about your credentials, education, or licensure as a nurse.  

Call me selfish or even petty but it really makes me mad when non-nurses claim to be nurses. Saying you are a nurse when you are not a state licensed nurse. Providing legal advice when you are not a licensed attorney and saying "well I am not an attorney but...".

Stay in your role and keep your visions of grandeur to your damn self. Or here is a thought. You can obtain and earn the education and credentials you need to say you are a LPN, RN, APRN, or a licensed attorney.

This Blog is Averaging 2,000-3,000 hits a week!!

Thank you again for your support. Maybe I should charge a fee for running off at the mouth here on Nursing Law & Order. Just kidding, it is truly a pleasure to blog on the law, legalities, and legal issues in nursing practice and I consider myself a RN, attorney, and a blogger.

Just what I needed was another title but I love blogging and being able to provide informational and educational tidbits to nurses across the country on this blog. 

Texas Nurses Association has a legal defense fund for 2 Nurses Criminally Indicted

http://www.texasnurses.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=509

http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=13685

I had a consultation with a nurse yesterday about a workplace matter and I told her to proceed carefully when you decide your next course of action in a dispute with a physician and a hospital. Other nurses will tell you "do it" and "go for the gusto" "do what's right" "I wish I had your strength", etc. but you need to speak with an attorney, preferably a nursing law attorney before you decide whether or not to whistleblow and how to whistleblow. There are many courses of action and you need to make an informed decision because you may be surprised to learn that the same folks who pushed and prodded you to "fight the man" will tell you "I can't get involved" "I need my job" "I am not comfortable helping you now" when the __ hits the fan.

Most nurses don't have their own professional liability insurance (for a civil suit or Nursing Board investigation) or the financial resources to "do battle" with a physician let alone a hospital or healthcare system. You add criminal charges (legal defense of criminal charges is not covered by professional liability insurance anyway) and a Nursing Board complaint and possibly a civil suit for slander and libel and it can be overwhelming to say the least.

Most hospitals and physicians have an attorney(s) or a law firm(s) on retainer. Compare and contrast this to nurses, who primarily represent themselves in workplace, employment, State Nursing Board, professional, and legal matters involving nursing practice.

I am not familiar with the Texas incident and I am not speaking to the Texas incident. I am planning to donate a few dollars to the cause and I hope everything turns out okay for the nurses involved.

I do know that nurses as patient advocates of course advocate for patients; but nurses also need to advocate for themselves. Sometimes this means slowing down, taking a step back, and getting a neutral and an objective party involved to provide a realistic evaluation of the situation and the courses of action.

Sometimes going out with "guns blazing" and a "scorch the earth" approach is not in the best interest of the nurse.

I practice in Kentucky and I tested positive for.....Will this be reported to the Kentucky Board of Nursing?

Will an employer report a positive drug screen (if you don't have a legally valid prescription or you test positive for illegal substance) to the Board is the five dollar question. Only five dollars because I am in Las Vegas, we just got married, and I am trying to hold on to my last five dollars:) Just kidding!

Kentucky like most states is a mandatory reporting state and this should be reported. Now I am here to tell you that everything that should be reported to the State Nursing Board isn't always reported; it depends and varies from facility to facility.

Some facilities report any and everything to the State Nursing Board and some facilities don't report anything to the State Nursing Board unless the media gets involved or another regulatory agency is involved. 

 http://kbn.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/51401E6F-D531-42EE-BD8F-95C61C5C9CAB/0/discpbroch.pdf

I love you, Michael Jackson! You are the King of Pop; Rest in Peace

I have fond memories of Michael Jackson growing up as a teenager. I can remember wearing the glove, the sparkle socks, and the black ankle length pants in junior high school.

My favorite MJ song is the Man in the Mirror and Dirty Diana.

Health Care Lawyers are Hot Property!

See this article in the American Bar Association Journal website, which quotes an article from the National Law Journal. http://www.abajournal.com/news/health_care_lawyers_are_a_hot_property/

My law practice is very active in this economy because State Nursing Board complaints don't stop or decrease during recessions and nurses for the most part are employed and employable even if it means thinking outside of the box for employment options. My law practice involves a cross between health care and administrative law.

I have one case where I am representing a counselor and once this case resolves, 100% of my clients will be nurses and nursing related organizations.

What nursing specialities would you say are hot in this economy?

Webinar for Nurses: Surviving the Economic Crisis

Thursday, April 30, 2009 1pm to 2pm EST

sponsored by the Center for American Nurses and WISER (Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement)

See https://m360.centerforamericannurses.org/ViewEvent.aspx?id=7806&instance=0

I Renewed my Ohio RN License This Morning Online! Don't Forget to Renew Your License

I renewed my license online this morning and paid the $65.00 fee. I have plenty of CE certificates, that's one nice thing about attending alot of conferences.

Don't wait until the last minute to renew your Ohio RN license this year. The deadline for renewal is August 31, 2009 and I will post something on this blog every month until renewal and I will do a countdown the week of August 31, 2009 related to renewing your Ohio RN license and if you are a APRN, renewing your COA and CTP.

1 out of 3 ain't bad, right? Ohio Nurses Association is hiring for 3 positions and 2 of the positions are union-related

I am a member of the Ohio Nurses Association. The Ohio Nurses Association is a union and a professional association. The majority of ONAs members are members as a result of being in a local unit/collective bargaining unit/union. Practically this means if you work at a certain facility that has a ONA union contract, then you pay dues.

In my opinion and you are free to disagree with me, what this really means are the majority of the membership are paying dues because they made a choice to work in a particular facility, not because they really wanted to belong to the association. This distinction is critical.

ONAs heavy union oriented membership is not reflective of the working environment of the vast majority of RNs in Ohio because the majority of RNs in Ohio work in non-unions workplaces.

There are almost 200,000 RNs in Ohio and only 8,000 RNs (plus or minus) belong to the Ohio Nurses Association. 2,000 +/- of those nurses are like me, non-union members.

Logically and rationally an organization should promote services and products which are tailored to meet the needs of the majority of its current members NOT the minority members or prospective or potential members, right?

Therefore under this rationale the ONA should spend the majority of its resources and staff FTEs on collective bargaining and union activities because the majority of its members and money flows from collective bargaining/local unit/union members.

I am a non-union nurse member of the Ohio Nurses Association and I am glad to see my hard earned dues money (I work hard for my money, don't you?) contributing to ONA hiring for the following positions posted on ONA's website:

1. Director of Union Organizing;

2. Union Organizer; and

3. Director of Health Policy.

http://www.ohnurses.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

1 out of 3 ain't bad, right?