Press

Nearly three months after first confirmed case in Wisconsin, nurses on the frontlines of pandemic still need real support from healthcare executives, lawmakers

Milwaukee, WI – The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP) renews its call for basic respect and dignity for the nurses and other health professionals at the forefront of this public health crisis. Nurses need real action this Nurses’ Week, not hollow “thank you” messages from their bosses.

Paid leave, protective equipment, childcare, and hiatus on rents and mortgages
 among simple measures that will keep us all safer  

Milwaukee, WI – The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP) calls for drastic action from hospital and laboratory executives, healthcare corporations, and government officials to protect healthcare workers and Wisconsin citizens as much as possible during the spread of this pandemic.

May 8, 2019

Milwaukee, WI-- A new report released by Citizen Action of Wisconsin shows that expanding BadgerCare will allow more Wisconsinites access to life-saving treatment in recovery from opioid addiction. This report demonstrates the price disparities between the expensive private insurance market and the more affordable BadgerCare market for medications to aid in recovery from this addiction, and the high cost of these drugs is a barrier to treatment for many of our neighbors and family members.

Candice Owley, RN, President of WFNHP said, “Nurses take an oath to protect and care for our patients and our communities.  I am here on nurse’s week to make clear that failure to expand BadgerCare is a death sentence for many in our state.  The cost of drugs for a person with no insurance or with a high deductible plan is cruel and immoral. No politician should be able to sleep at night knowing they had a chance to save lives but turned their back on their communities.”

March 14, 2019

Milwaukee, WI— Today, Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced legislation to protect health and social service workers from violence on the job. Her action came after hearing a passionate presentation by a Milwaukee nurse who had been violently injured on the job.

“Workplace violence is a daily reality in health care. Hospitals and other health care settings are centers for healing, but inside those walls, the people charged with caring for the sick are often victims of violence themselves,” said Candice Owley, President of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (WFNHP). “We can’t accept that violence is part of the job. Prevention is possible when systems are put into place to reduce the risk of violence. Thankfully, the bill introduced today by Senator Baldwin provides long-needed protections and enforceable safety standards for people who work in front-line health care jobs. As a union of health care professionals, we welcome this effort to finally make workplace-safety a priority.”

“Our health care and social services workers, and the people they serve, deserve to work and receive services in an environment free from workplace violence,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to lead this important effort to provide overdue protections and safety standards to a workforce that serves people during some of their most vulnerable moments. This bill promotes a healthy environment that is good for both workers and those they serve, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this important effort.”