California Nurses Association
August 10, 2014
National
Nurses Organizing Committee (HQ)
2000
Franklin Street
Oakland, CA
94612
T.
510-273-2200
F.
510-433-2790
Re: V.A. San Diego, California Nurses Association
To whom it may concern,
As an advocate for
the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) in our Veteran’s
Hospitals I would like to not only thank but also support the efforts of the
California Nurses Association to form a Union at the Veteran’s San Diego Healthcare
System(VSDHS).
My interest as an
advocate are simple, the “transparency” originally included in the U.S. House
bill supporting our Veteran’s medical care has been removed in committee. As a veteran and a San Diego resident the
media convinced me as an individual that the VSDHS was virtually without issue
concerning the recent systematic problems at the VSDHS only to find the efforts of
the CNA to highlight to plight and support the staff void of any collective
voice.
In return for my unbiased
support for the efforts of the CNA to form a collective voice at the VSDHS I
would request that the CNA begin a focused campaign within your membership to emphasize
the need for every healthcare staff member to assume a leadership role, up,
down, 360 degrees around for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infection
in our hospitals for increased patient safety, efficiencies and workplace
safety, this leads us directly to the term “patient as a customer”, a top priority
of the Affordable Care Act and now virtually the “bottom line’ for any healthcare
facility in the California in my humble opinion.
Perhaps the first
place to start your efforts is to include a link the outstanding work of the California
Department of Public Health’s ‘Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of
Healthcare Associated Infections’, it is free to all to use and challenge due the freedom of information act:
and my first stop will more than likely be Honorable United
States Senator Feinstein’s office to ensure the vote has no impendence denying
the staff at the VSDHS to form a collective voice.
How does this help
our Veterans, perhaps the question should be how does this not help our Veterans?
Sincerely,
Michael H. Slavinski
Cc:
The Honorable United stated Senator Dianne Feinstein
"If we can
improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem
President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”
