Teri Mills is the president of the National Nursing Network Organization and is a strong Healthcare United supporter.  You can read her own blog here.

Our nation’s healthcare system remains in critical condition and unless significant policy changes occur, we may be spending up to 20% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare in just a few short years.  This equates to $4.2 trillion dollars -- more than six times the $700 billion bailout package passed by Congress earlier this month (Poisel, 2007).

Nurses around the country are determined to make a difference, and are reaching out to other nurses to make sure they too know what is at stake with this upcoming election.  

Here in Oregon, nurses gathered on what turned out to be a particularly gorgeous Saturday morning. While the leaves were falling off the trees and children were taking advantage of playing outside before the rain returned, we gathered around desks and called every nurse that has been registered to vote in Oregon's Fifth Congressional District.

We found out that each nurse we spoke with overwhelmingly wants to see all Americans receive affordable and accessible healthcare.  They were interested in hearing about the candidate's past voting records and indicators of what they would do to change the system.  Most of them had made a decision of whom they would vote for President, but surprisingly few knew the voting records of the U.S. Senate candidates.  

There is about three weeks left until voting begins, but in our state, voters will begin receiving their mail-in ballots on October 17th, which is in just a few days from now.  There’s a lot more work to be done, however.  Healthcare workers are familiar with advocating for our patients at the bedside and in the community.  Now we must take our advocacy one step further and speak up for the American public in the political arena.  Our country and our people are depending on us.  Nurses respond when called by another peer! Please visit http://www.healthcareunited.org/action/phone_calls/ and start making your own calls.

Source: Poisal, J.A., et al, Health Spending Projections Through 2016: Modest Changes Obscure Part D’s Impact. Health Affairs (21 February 2007): W242-253