NurseWeek: A long and winding road

A long and winding road
Organizers of Million Nurse March press on, despite obstacles

By Barbara Tone, RN
December 4, 2000
Illustration: Million Nurse March Web Site

Making the Million Nurse March a reality is the growing vision of a small group of nurses who met on Internet bulletin boards and decided to take action. Their key issues are staffing levels and mandatory overtime.


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May 14, 2000, the Million Mom March: 750,000 people marched in Washington, D.C., to support gun control. Thousands more marched in 73 cities throughout the country. The camaraderie, the sense of empowerment and the coming together of like minds for a common purpose gave marchers a feeling of warmth and unity.

Fast forward to May 2001: Thousands of nurses could march in Washington and major U.S. cities to protest understaffing and mandatory overtime. Banners held high, they might band together for the safety of patient care. Arm in arm, they could create an unprecedented union among those who provide care to the nation’s patients.

But will they?

The Million Nurse March remains embryonic. Some say a march won’t solve problems. Still, except for the recent passage of the safe needles law, the general public and Washington legislators likely are unaware of pressing issues among nurses.

Harriet Crable, RN, who left nursing because of the conditions, noticed that although the media covers health care extensively, there seems to be a dearth of nursing coverage. "It’s almost as though we are a separate entity of some sort," she said.

A march might act as a gust of wind to swirl problems into the vortex of public opinion and incite more coverage of nursing issues in the mainstream media, experts say.

"[A march] is a wonderful way to call attention to your issues," said Mary Leigh Blek, PHN, RN, president of the Million Mom March, which has become a national movement.

She conceded there is much to overcome before it becomes a reality: Can nurses overcome the frequent apathy that plagues a stressed and overworked population? Can they abandon some of their internal issues long enough to speak with one voice?

Some predict a resounding "yes."

"It’s time for us not to be afraid to say that something is wrong," said Barbara Rose, RN, a legal nurse consultant from Paris, Texas and one of the early organizers of the movement. "We need to step forward, take action and be blunt."

Making the march a reality is the growing vision of a small group of nurses who met on Internet bulletin boards and decided to take action.

Their key issues are staffing levels and mandatory overtime. "The last time I worked at a hospital – last year around the holidays – I had 14 patients," Rose said. "That was a first in my 20 years of nursing. I can’t even remember nine of those patients. I don’t remember anything about them."

Long-term care nurses say their numbers are even higher. "In Florida, it’s not uncommon for a nurse in a long-term care facility to have 60 patients on a night shift," said Michelle Jansen, RN, a long-term care nurse in Jacksonville, Fla.

These nurses still have a passion for nursing, Crable said. "They are advocating for their patients in difficult circumstances. It’s not about money or position. It’s about wanting to give quality care during a time of cost-cutting chaos."

So far, there are volunteer organizers for 19 states, officer nominations, a Million Nurse March T-shirt and a Web site (www.millionnursemarch.org). Within the organizing group, passions run high.

"The time is right to educate the public about nursing, how important it is and to identify the changes that need to be made before more people step in and tell us how to do our job," said Mark Julius, RN, a traveling nurse who is the state organizer for California.

Firm commitment
The commitment must carry them through a long and tiring process, experts say.

"It’s very labor intensive," Blek said. "It is also expensive. You have to get permits, security, porta-potties. I would advise at least a full year of planning."

The Million Nurse March still has many decisions to make. Two of the biggest are when and where.

Because the American Nurses Association has a variety of activities planned during National Nurses Week in May, there is discussion about changing the date or perhaps working with the ANA.

They also must decide if they will march only in Washington, in Washington and major cities, or only in major cities. Because there is much to do, there is also discussion about waiting until 2002.

One decision that has been made, however, is that the march will be open to all those who provide care to patients.

"In our mission statement, we have been all-inclusive: RNs, LPNs, CNAs," said Helen Cook, RN, a temporary agency nurse from Nashville, Mich. "It doesn’t matter if you have an MSN or an AND; the issues that we see as important in health care today affect all caregivers."

One of the biggest hurdles, of course, is funding and support. While organizers say that some companies and organizations have expressed interest in supporting or endorsing the effort, few solid commitments have been made.

Like some others, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association has agreed to promote the march, but has not given official endorsement or support.

"We believe the reasons they would want to have this march are indisputable," said Jill Furillo, RN, director of government affairs for the California Nurses Association. "CNA obviously wants to gather more information, and [support] would have to be considered by our elected officials. We have not yet had a chance to do that."

The Michigan Nurses Association is waiting to see what develops. "We are watching, and we may be part of it, if it is prudent," said Tom Renkes, MS, RN, CEO for the Michigan Nurses Association.

The most difficult hurdle, however, may be getting exhausted and/or apathetic nurses to participate. Some nurses who initially were enthusiastic already have become discouraged.

Colleen Torregon, RN, a med/surg nurse in Chicago, said she became frustrated when only 14 nurses signed on for a Chicago march.

"The reason nursing is not fixed is because nurses are not willing to be involved," she said. "They are waiting on administrators, doctors and health insurance companies. Nurses have made their own plight," she said.

Finally, they must look seriously at what they hope to accomplish. Many nurses – and a recent article in the Washington Post – questioned whether marches have any long-term effect. "If you really want to change public policy," Blek said, "you have to continue [the movement]. The best way to change policy is through national, chapter-based organizations."

Despite the hurdles, organizers are determined to press on. "I don’t like feeling helpless," Rose said. "I believe that every person has value. We can’t all change the world; we can’t all be president, but we can all touch somebody’s life.

"I don’t want to be 80, look back and wonder if things could have been different if I had done something."