Unionized nurse workforce is an idea that many researchers came across. As well as researchers, many nurses across the globe believe that unionizing may be an idea that would significantly improve workforce culture of safety. Moreover, unionized nurses have a better chance of standing for their rights and their beliefs, which is certainly a beneficial method to improve the quality of treatment as well as the environment, in which nurses are working.
Ayala and Núñez (2016) give an example of various unions formed in Chile across the decades arguing that those unions gave an excellent opportunity to increase the quality of nurses’ care and their working quality in general. Kubisa (2016) concludes in her article that the nurse unions are capable of at least providing the community with the current problematic topics to discuss, which helps to raise publicity’s awareness of the issues, with which the current nursing community has to deal. Kwok, Bates and Ng (2016) explain how Canadian nurses unions help nurses perform better in their line of duty.
Furthermore, Archibald (2017) significantly expands the argument brought by Kwok, Bates, and Ng by explaining in detail how nurses improve different aspects of nursing practice through collective bargaining. On the other hand, Lampert (2013) had argued that there are certain cons to joining unions for nurses. However, the author concludes that there is currently no defense for working nurses in America, which makes joining unions more reasonable. Finally, Dube, Kaplan and Thompson (2016) conclude that there were certain improvements in the healthcare system that followed the unionization of nurses.
Thus, since the unionization improves the quality of healthcare, patients’ safety, and patients’ outcomes, the MSN essential that would contribute to this discussion must be the third essential – quality improvement and safety. Since it is a direct responsibility of a master’s-prepared nurse, the unions will contribute to improving all of these aspects.
References
Archibald, T. (2017). Improving patient safety through nurse collective bargaining. Canada: University of Ottawa.
Ayala, R. A., & Núñez, E. R. (2016). Dusting off the looking-glass: A historical analysis of the development of a nursing identity in Chile. Nursing Inquiry, 23(4), 279-385.
Dube, A., Kaplan, E., & Thompson, O. (2016). Nurse unions and patient outcomes. ILR Review, 69(4), 803-833.
Kubisa, J. (2016). From better job quality to higher-quality care – Polish nurses’ collective struggle with the public healthcare system. Web.
Kwok, C., Bates, K. A., & Ng, E. S. (2016). Managing and sustaining an ageing nursing workforce: Identifying opportunities and best practices within collective agreements in Canada. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(4), 500-511.
Lampert, L. (2013). Nurse labor unions: Do they have a place in healthcare? Web.