Nurses Unions Efforts to Give RNs a Greater Voice in Patient Care

Abstract

This paper will examine the efforts of nurses’ unions to give registered nurses (RNs) a greater voice in the delivery of patient care in acute-care hospitals. Collective bargaining provides a forum in which nurses can voice their concerns about patient care issues and influence how care is delivered. Within the context of bargaining, nurses’ unions use two different strategic approaches to address these issues—traditional bargaining and collaborative/cooperative programs. Both approaches, and the mechanisms used in each, will be discussed, as will the outcomes generated by these approaches.