The American Federation of Government Employees proudly celebrates the service, passion and expertise of nurses. We recognize the role of government nurses in providing health care in a variety of different spaces. Federal nurses play a significant role in providing world-class care in many agencies throughout the government, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Indian Health Service and the Bureau of Prisons.
Earlier this year the AFGE Nurse Steering Committee convened for their annual planning meeting. Activists at the meeting highlighted the value of sharing the stories of nurses in the federal sector. Attendees also discussed the importance of official time in relation to patient care and safety standards, and the need for legislation to address patient-staff ratios in the public sector.
The committee also developed the theme for the September 2017 Federal Nurses Week celebration: Federal Nurses' Endless Service...Endless Care.
Below is an infographic that highlights the work of government nurses. We invite you to share this graphic with your friends and colleagues and post on your Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter profiles.
AFGE Nurse Steering Committee Bill of Rights
The American Federation of Government Employees Nurse Steering Committee presents this Bill of Rights for all Federal Nurses in order to promote justice and equality, to ensure nurse satisfaction, retention and delivery of quality care to their patients:
Nurses Deserve:
- Equal Rights to negotiate over all conditions of employment
- The right to advocate for the best health care for their patients
- A safe work environment to ensure delivery of the highest quality of care to their patients
- The assurance to practice safely within their scope of licensure and level of competence
- The right to receive adequate training to perform assigned duties
The AFGE Nurse Steering Committee endorses these fundamental rights of Federal nurses and believes that these rights should be exercised without fear of reprisal, harassment or intimidation at all times.
The AFGE Nurse Steering Committee is moving full steam ahead to address the concerns of nurses nationwide. The committee convenes monthly to address legislative and legal concerns, and disseminate information to AFGE members and lawmakers. Bargaining rights for VA nurses has been a top issue for the committee, along with legislation to provide true overtime for nurses within the Bureau of Prisons and Department of Defense, safe patient handling and ensuring safe staffing levels for nurses who work throughout the federal government.
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