NY Nurse: January 2020

Nurses are at the front lines of a growing movement calling for a universal, single-payer ‘Medicare for All’ system.

Let’s be clear that NYSNA is advocating for a much-improved version of Medicare to be expanded to all residents. The nurses’ proposal is one that actually meets the healthcare needs of our patients: it is universal with more comprehensive benefits, and is much more affordable than the Medicare program as we know it.

How did you decide to become a nurse?

As a child growing up I wanted to be a famous fashion designer. When I came to the US I was creating a name for myself, participating in shows in my city of Nottingham. I had also secured a number of commissions for items I had designed. I look back at that time and smile as I have fond memories of defying my mother’s suggestions to pursue a career in nursing.

As front line nurses, and as New Yorkers committed to healthcare as a human right, we are inextricably connected to the Medicaid program. More than a quarter of New York State’s population — 26% — is covered by Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plus.*

The vital importance of Mount Vernon Hospital to the people of that city is increasingly apparent to all involved. NYSNA nurses at the facility, many of whom live in the city, are among the leadership of a coalition of families, religious organizations, local, state and federal elected politicians who see the threatened closure as a risk to the lives of the people.

History has an uncanny way of repeating itself, but not always in ways we expect. The existence of the Roman Empire has been used as a metaphor for many years. “Nero fiddled while Rome burned” is based on the fact that the unpopular and decadent emperor did little while 70% of the city burned in 64 A.D., leaving more than half the population homeless. To distract the public from his disregard for the disaster’s impact, he scapegoated the Christians for the fire—who were summarily arrested and executed.