Disadvantages Of Unionization In Nursing

I regard nurses as a different or high breed of professionals advocating for patients daily and playing a crucial role to deliver the optimum patient care. Nurses are typically known “called to serve” and unlikely to put their interest s behind those of their patients. However, it is very important for nurses to have a voice collectively to represent them via labor union. Some of the reasons of unionization include better wages and benefits, better working conditions, and job security. More often, the desire to unionize can typically be attributed to workers’ perceptions of management as unfair and when they feel that they are not valued or respected by their employer, and other reasons that cannot be measured by dollars (McConnell, 2011,

Both of them stated that there are advantages and disadvantages of being in a union. The union member nurse stated that she lost her sense of autonomy when she joined the union because when the union asked the members to strike, they are prohibited to go to work. Even if the nurse wanted to go to work, she was threatened to have a consequence if she does go to work. The nurses felt like going on a strike are contrary to nursing ethics and licensure to do no harm and avoid abandonment. Nurses including physicians not seeing their critical patients in a timely manner can put patients at risk (Cherry & Jacob, 2017, p. 262). On the other hand, the nurse also mentioned that the union helped her regarding salary and benefits. The non-union member nurse also shared that he was faced with union organizing group and advised that nurses need to fully consider all factors and professional practice environment when confronted because sometimes union can create inequities for other department. Additionally, the non-union member nurse does not want to pay dues to the union and he also felt sorry leaving his patients and colleagues who will end up taking more patient if other nurses call off or leave for

In my clinical experienced, I witnessed nurses who were assigned and burdened with too many patients. Certainly, staffing impacts the quality of care that the patient receives that is why I think that it is important for nurses to speak up and let the administration know what is happening. For me, this represents the nurses’ ability to make decisions considering many issues that affect their personal welfare, their practice environment, and the quality of patient care that they provide. Nursing is a trusted profession, and for the public, the strike is a symbol of a negative behavior. In order to uphold nursing’s image and allow for management/hospitals to respond effectively in maintaining patient care, a 10-day notice of intent is required (Cherry & Jacob, 2017, p.