To the Editors:
In the “Professionalism” editorial, you state that unionization of healthcare professionals erodes professional values. Many of my nurse colleagues and I disagree with this opinion. At St. Mary’s Medical Center (West Palm Beach, Fla), thanks to our contract, we have a working Patient Care Committee that meets on a monthly basis with management to address and solve problems related to patient care and its delivery. Anything that has an impact on patient care can become a topic of discussion. Problems that cannot be worked out between the union and management in this committee go to mediation for resolution. Nurses and other healthcare workers at our hospital are empowered by having a union and do not fear retaliation when speaking out.
Our union is also politically active in both Tallahassee and Washington, DC, working for passage of safe staffing legislation and laws to end mandatory overtime. Our mailing...