Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day isn't just a day off—it's a tribute to the strength and solidarity of unions that have shaped fair working conditions and rights for everyone. “It’s Better in a Union!”

What to know about Labor Day and its history From barbecues to getaways, many people across the US mark Labor Day by relaxing. Here's what you need to know about Labor Day.

Grab your family, friends or co-workers and join WFNHP for a day full of food, fun and union spirit down at the Milwaukee Lakefront on Monday, September 2nd! Laborfest is FREE, family friendly event (open to the public) with lots of activities for children of all ages. This year's theme is "It's Better In A Union." Let's celebrate the power in standing together and fighting for a better workplace and future!

***The first 50 WFNHP members to sign up to march with us in the parade will receive a free WFNHP t-shirt and $20.00 food/beverage cards to use at the Summerfest Grounds.*** So, SIGN UP TODAY by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/laborfest24

Questions? Call 414-475-6065 or email [email protected]

There's a need to create a healthcare system that reflects the communities being served. It's well known that racial and ethnic minorities face implicit bias and disparities in access to healthcare, the quality of care received, and have higher rates of adverse outcomes.

Today, as we celebrate Juneteenth, our union is strengthening our commitment to fighting against racial disparities & inequities in healthcare.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved individuals were now free. This historic day holds immense significance as it symbolizes the liberation of African Americans from the brutal chains of slavery. However, it's essential to acknowledge that freedom didn't come easily or immediately for all. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, it wasn't until two and a half years later that the news reached all parts of the country. Juneteenth is a reminder of the resilience, strength, and perseverance of the Black community in the face of adversity. It's a time to reflect on the struggles and sacrifices of those who fought for freedom and justice. Moreover, Juneteenth serves as a call to action to address the ongoing fight against systemic racism and inequality that continue to impact Black lives today. As we celebrate Juneteenth, let's honor the past, recognize the present, and commit to building a future where equality, justice, and freedom are truly accessible to all.

ATTENTION WFNHP MEMBERS!

Please save the date for our upcoming WFNHP-Local 5000 Spring Union Member Meeting & Cookout! We will be gathering on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the WFNHP Union Hall (9620 W. Greenfield Ave. in West Allis, WI).

Members are not only welcome, but encouraged to bring their families, children, partners and significant others to this event. There will be plenty of food, fun and activities for all ages! Please watch for more details coming soon!

To RSVP please contact 414-475-6065 or [email protected].

*Please note this event is for WFNHP members & their families only. Not open to the public.

CNN interview with WFNHP Steward, Gavin Rice, regarding effects on healthcare workers after Ascension's cyber attack.

https://tinyurl.com/CNNinterviewascenison

Wishing our members and their families a happy !

One final appreciation post for ...Especially, in light of everything our members have had to endure this week with the Ascension cyber attack...Our nurses (and ALL other healthcare workers) prove 24/7/365 why they are the heart of healthcare!

We appreciate each and every one of you for the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices you make every day to provide comfort and quality care to the patients and communities you serve. We will continue to fight alongside you to demand safer staffing and working conditions, fair wages, and the respect you and all healthcare workers deserve!

Connie Smith, president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, is among the Ascension providers turning to paper records this week to cope. Smith, who coordinates surgeries at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, said the hospital didn’t cancel any surgical procedures and continued treating emergency patients.

But she said everything has slowed down because electronic systems are built into the hospital’s daily operations. Younger providers are often unfamiliar with paper copies of essential records and it takes more time to document patient care, check the results of prior lab tests and verify information with doctors’ offices, she said.

Smith said union leaders feel staff and service cutbacks have made the situation even tougher. Hospital staff also have received little information about what led to the attack or when operations might get closer to normal, she said.

“You’re doing everything to the best of your ability but you leave feeling frustrated because you know you could have done things faster or gotten that patient home sooner if you just had some extra hands,” Smith said.

A cyberattack forces a big US health system to divert ambulances and take records offline A cyberattack on the Ascension health system operating in 19 states across the U.S. forced some of its 140 hospitals to divert ambulances, caused patients to postpone medical tests and blocked online access to patient records.

WFNHP President, Connie Smith and Union Steward, Gavin Rice speak to WISN12 News on the difficulties healthcare workers are facing as a result of the cyber attack on Ascension Health.

Ascension healthcare cyberattack Hackers target Ascension Healthcare SystemsSubscribe to WISN on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1emE5YXGet more Milwaukee news: http://www.wisn.comLike u...

Watch our interview with WTMJ4 News regarding the recent Ascension cyber security attack and our concerns over the disruption of care and services at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, WI.

Ascension hospital workers struggle with cyberattack slowdown Ascension continues to deal with the impact of a cyberattack on some of its systems.The hack is affecting both patients and workers.TMJ4 took calls, emails, ...

May 8th, Ascension's electronic health record (EHR) was unexpectedly taken off-line. Union members of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals at Ascension St. Francis Hospital are concerned about their ability to provide the quality care that patients deserve, including concerns over delayed test results, access to doctors, and increased chance for medical errors. At the time of this press release, the system is not up and our members have been told there is "no end in sight." ...

The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals condemns Ascension's failure to respond appropriately to the loss of the charting system. We believe this is another example of putting profits over the safety and well-being of patients and staff.

PRESS RELEASE: Ascension Cyber Security Attack Drastically Impacting Healthcare Workers and Patient Care PRESS RELEASE FOR: Thursday, May 9, 2024 For more information, contact: Jamie Lucas, (720)621-3689, [email protected] ASCENSION CYBER SECURITY ATTACK IMPACTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND PATIENT CARE MILWAUKEE – Wednesday, May 8th, Ascension's electronic health record (EHR) was unexpectedly taken off-l...

WFNHP members spent the day at a community resource fair handing out important healthcare information.

Regular encounters with illness and death can deeply affect healthcare workers’ mental and emotional well-being, but clinicians rarely receive the training and support they need to process grief and trauma. In AFT Health Care, journalist Rachel Jones describes the systemic changes needed to help healthcare workers heal and to restore humanity to an increasingly inhumane healthcare system.

Helping Healthcare Workers Heal Every year, tens of thousands of aspiring doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals immerse themselves in US educational and training programs, eagerly preparing for their roles as healers. In Pennsylvania in the 1980s, Rosalind Kaplan was one of them. And, like many others, she was someti...

Happy ! WFNHP celebrates all our nurse members across the state. We appreciate each and every one of you for the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices you make every day to provide comfort and quality care to the patients and communities you serve. We will continue to fight alongside you to demand safer staffing and working conditions, fair wages, and the respect you and all healthcare workers deserve!

Make sure to save the date for Workers Memorial day! Join us this year, April 28th at 2:00 p.m.

Members of WFNHP-Local 5000, Voces de la Frontera, and the Save Milwaukee Healthcare Coalition have been spreading the word to Milwaukee residents…

Together, we are calling on city officials to pass a new zoning law in Milwaukee requiring that equitable healthcare services be made available for all - as it should be!

✍ Sign the petition here: https://linktr.ee/SaveMKEHealthcareCoalition

"To some extent, the staffing crisis is manufactured," Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals Executive Director Jamie Lucas said.

"It's manufactured by corporate health care, by the 'Ascensions' of the world, because the business model has encouraged the hospitals to make everybody do more with less, and that's just not a sustainable approach to this. So, yeah, it's kind of ironic to end up in this situation."

Lucas is part of a statewide union that represents workers at St. Francis Hospital and said employees there witnessed layoffs before and after the pandemic.

"In a span of about three years, we lost about 50% of the workers in that hospital," he explained. "From our understanding that's just kind of the Ascension playbook."

Ascension Wisconsin holding job fair to recruit while some criticize past layoffs MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – As one Wisconsin health care provider is hoping to recruit employees, some are criticizing the cuts and closures they have made in the past."As we know, due to the pandemic, we've had

Tabling at St Francis

WFNHP is part of the Committee for Equity in Nursing Education, urging Milwaukee's Mayor and Common Council to say "NO" to approving a zoning change, that would allow the predatory, for-profit Arizona College of Nursing to open a school in Milwaukee.

"They are relatively expensive," Executive Director of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Care Professionals Jamie Lucas said. "They over-promise, they under-deliver. They have high default rates, high dropout rates and lower passing rates on the nursing certification exam."

Lucas is hoping health care workers against the issue are heard loud and clear.

"It's not right to allow another institution to prey on people’s dreams," Lucas said. "It’s not right to allow another crisis to go exploited."

If you'd like your voice heard on this issue, please sign the petition linked in the comments.

New for-profit nursing school in Milwaukee faces resistance Roadblocks could hinder the future of Arizona College of Nursing, a for-profit school eyeing a location on Milwaukee’s west side.

💜💚💙💛

With 81% of the vote, healthcare workers at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin have voted to join our union! Congratulations to the newest members of WFNHP who have chosen to unionize to better care for their patients, their families, and themselves!

Milwaukee has had enough of for-profit colleges. Say no to the Arizona College of Nursing.

For-profit colleges have failed us before. Keep Arizona College of Nursing out. | Opinion Arizona College of Nursing stakeholders are investors and executives, not students or taxpayers. The leadership team is dominated by businessmen.