OPEIU Nurses Join Rally for Safe Staffing Levels

The OPEIU Nurses Council (ONC) has made safe staffing levels a top priority and joined hundreds of nurses in a rally in Washington, D.C., calling for the passage of legislation that would make staffing ratios the law of the land.

Nurses from Locals 40 and 459 in Michigan traveled to Washington to press for passage of S.864, National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act, and H.R. 1602, Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015, both aimed at improving patient safety by implementing staffing ratios and addressing the nurse shortage.

Local 459’s Julie Murray, who also serves as ONC vice chair, addressed the crowd while dressed in the traditional white nursing uniform complete with cape and cap worn by the OPEIU Nurses Honor Guard, which recognizes and honors women and men who have dedicated their lives to the nursing profession. The honor guard pays tribute to individuals at the time of their death by attending the funeral or memorial service, reciting The Nightingale Tribute and presenting a white rose signifying the nurse’s devotion to his or her profession. To learn more about the safe staffing issue and the OPEIU Nurses Honor Guard, visit opeiunursescouncil.org.