Nurses are Grossly Underrepresented

Currently, only 3 nurses serve in the US House of Representatives and a nurse has never served in the Senate. Nurses are so grossly underrepresented in Congress that the profession is categorized as “other” when accounting for occupation in Congress. OTHER! Nurses are very qualified to serve in Congress. We are highly educated, we have exceptional communication skills, we collaborate effectively, we see the issues with the highest priorities through the eyes of our patients, and we see the impact that unjust social policies have on the underserved, disadvantaged, and underrepresented Americans on a daily basis. However, we are categorized as OTHER.

I am not expecting that any of us are going to throw our name in the hat to serve in Washington DC in the immediate future, but there are small steps that we can take today, literally today, to transform those small steps into big changes:

• Get out and VOTE!! Today is the day. If you haven’t voted already, get to your polling place, and have your voice heard. VOTE as if you have been abused at work. VOTE as if you have ever unwillingly worked in an unsafe environment. VOTE as is you have not peed or eaten in 12 ½ hours. VOTE as if you have ever clocked out and continued to work. VOTE as if you have ever been expected to take an unsafe assignment. VOTE as if you have ever had to care for patients without the tools and equipment to do so safely. Just get out and VOTE. There will never be change in our profession if we don’t vote in leadership that values us, our concerns, our issues, and our patients.

• Join a professional organization. Professional organizations keep us up to date on the most current issues that impact our profession. The American Nurses Association has a Political Action Committee (PAC). You read that right!! We have a PAC. That means that we have lobbyist capacity. That means the more of us that get involved, the bigger voice we have in Washington DC. Plus, when you join the ANA, you get automatic membership in your State’s nurses association. No organization knows the issues in our profession better than each state’s nurse’s association because they are ran by regular nurses, just like each of us. If you want to join the ANA, but you are struggling financially, reach out to me, I will help you.

• Run for office at the local or state level. If you are a school nurse, run for the school board. If you are a student nurse, run for office at your school’s NSNA chapter. If you are a nurse that wants people to listen to you, run for office of your state’s nurse’s association. I know that is a scary thought, but if I can do it, any of you can do it. I ran for office for the UNA, and I won. I won on pure passion, only. I know you all have passion for the profession, so just do it. If you want help, let me know, I can help point you in the right direction to start.

• Tell everyone that can listen about the problems that plague our profession. I know we don’t like to talk about work when we are not there, but you need to. Staying quiet and pushing the issues under the rug will not create change. When telling a neighbor about the violence against nurses, he said “Is it really that bad? Why would anyone want to be a nurse, then?” If the general public does not know how bad it is, how bad patient care actually is, there is no point to attempt to be a catalyst for change. Show your bruises, show your tears, show your frustrations, show how bad it is. Don’t underplay it. It is bad, we know it is bad, it is time the world understands how bad it really is. If we don’t talk, how will our voice be heard.

There are over 4 million nurses in this country. We must effectuate change in our profession. We have been voted the most trusted profession for a decade, we have to show fidelity to ourselves. We can’t care for others if we don’t care for our profession first. Please, go vote today. Please, get involved. Remember, all big changes start with small steps.