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June 29, 2001: Ireland, Dublin:Cancer campaigner wins right to life saving treatment:"A DUBLIN woman who went to court to secure access to life-saving chem-otherapy went into hospital last night to begin treatment. Janette Byrne who suffers from non-Hodgkins lymphoma and is a medical card holder had taken a high court case to force the Eastern Regional Health Authority to provide treatment. The 39-year-old had contacted the Mater Hospital to check in for her five-day treatment but was told that there was no available bed in the public ward."
http://www.irishnews.com/current/news5.html

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June 29, 2001: Ohio, Youngstown: Nurses reject contract as strike reaches day 60:"A hospital system's top official wants to start non-stop talks to end a two-month nurses' strike. Registered nurses have rejected Forum Health's latest offer for dealing with mandatory overtime. The Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association also refused Wednesday and Thursday to negotiate, said N. Kristopher Hoce, Forum's chief executive and president. Union spokeswoman Joyce Shaffer said that although the nurses favor some parts of the hospital's proposals, the guidelines aren't enough."
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2021173&BRD=2131&PAG=461&dept_id=363764&rfi=6

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June 29, 2001: Pennsylvania: Pa. legislators address nursing shortage:"A state senator has introduced legislation that would prohibit mandatory overtime for Pennsylvania nurses, and a state representative is expected to do the same this fall. Health-care providers in Centre County and across Pennsylvania are feeling the squeeze of the ongoing nursing shortage. These bills and a separate action by state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, are designed to address the issue. Benninghoff has asked the governor to use money from Pennsylvania's share of the tobacco settlement to provide grants for students who enroll in programs to become licensed practical nurses or nursing assistants."
http://web.centredaily.com/content/centredaily/2001/06/29/news_local/29nurses.htm

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Thursday June 28, 2001: North Carolina, Asheville: Nurse shortage has hospitals offering bonuses, other perks to attract R.N.s:"While the economy experiences chills, dot-com companies are downright sick and high-tech jobs are flatlining, there is a healthy bright spot in a more-traditional profession: nursing. A shortage of registered nurses is forcing hospitals in some parts of the country to offer potential employees cash signing bonuses, child care and maid service. At Mission St. Joseph’s Health System, 40 recently added beds have increased the need for registered nurses by 55 positions."
http://www.citizen-times.com/news/04645518.shtml

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June 28, 2001: North Carolina, Asheville: Filipino nurses will face many adjustments:"The 50 Filipino nurses coming to work here will have some adjustments to make, like learning that you don’t get an entire stack of newspapers for 50 cents. "I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to do that, and I removed all the newspapers from the rack," Kathleen Tamaray said with a laugh, recalling an incident when she first arrived in America six years ago. "Then someone told me, ‘The only thing free here is the air.’"
http://www.citizen-times.com/news/10170855.shtml

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Thursday, June 28, 2001: North Carolina, Asheville: Nursing recruiters look to Philippines to stop shortage:"In the past, they’ve searched the Southeast, the United States, even Canada. But now Mission St. Joseph’s Health System recruiters have traveled nearly 9,000 miles to the Philippines to hire 50 registered nurses, an effort brought on by a nearly three-year-long nursing shortage. The nurses will sign 30-month contracts and begin work at Western North Carolina’s largest hospital in nine to 14 months. "We’re having a nursing shortage. We need help," said Margaret Farmer, a registered nurse for nine years at Mission, which has 800 beds. "We’re really glad to have people coming here who want to come here and who want to stay."
http://www.citizen-times.com/news/10174801.shtml

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June 27, 2001: California, Glendale: Nursing shortage imperils patients Overworking key caregivers may cost lives, studies find:"The day started out like most others for Barbara Carey, a hospital nurse from Glendale, Calif.: a heavy patient load and not enough staff. That usually just meant that Carey had to work harder and faster. But on this particular day in 1989, short staffing led to tragedy. Carey began to check in on her patients but had so much to do that it took 45 minutes to get to patient No. 4. Carey walked into the room and realized the liver cancer patient was dead. She still wonders if the delay, caused by short staffing, might have hastened the woman's death."
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010627/3435466s.htm

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June 27, 2001: Maryland State: Nursing scarcity worsens in Md. Survey identifies shortages of various hospital professionals:"Maryland's nursing shortage intensified last year, and shortages of other health care professionals became more severe, according to the results of a survey released yesterday by the Association of Maryland Hospitals and Health Systems. Up to 3,679 health care workers, including as many as 1,680 registered nurses, are needed to fill vacant positions statewide, the survey indicated"
http://www.sunspot.net/business/bal-bz.hospitals27jun27.story?coll=bal%2Dbusiness%2Dheadlines

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Wed Jun 27, 2001: Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax: Health workers walk out in Nova Scotia:"Thousands of health-care workers in the Halifax area are walking the picket lines Wednesday. They were up early and promise to stay late – or until Bill 68 forces them back inside. Workers gathered outside the province's largest hospital, the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, at about 6 a.m. Nearly 3,000 people represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union are on a legal strike. They include lab technicians and physiotherapists. Some registered nurses have also joined the pickets. The union asked approximately 2,200 nurses not to cross the picket lines, even though they won't be in a legal position to strike until July 9."
http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/2001/06/27/ns_strike010627

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Wednesday, June 27, 2001: Maryland: Survey Finds Md. Hospitals Short-Staffed, About Half of 3,600 Vacancies Are Nursing Positions, Report Says:"Maryland hospitals are having trouble attracting nurses, pharmacists, social workers, dietary aides, laboratory technicians and workers in two dozen other job categories, according to a survey of 43 facilities released yesterday. The Maryland Hospital Association's findings are in line with studies of worker shortages at hospitals throughout the United States."
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49406-2001Jun26.html

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27 June, 2001: Africa, Botswana: Shortage of nurses affects health posts:"Health posts at Disana, Shashe, Somelo and Bodibeng in the North West District remain closed because of shortage of nurses. Oganeditse Lefatshe, a senior matron with the North West District Council, said at Councillor Omponye Botumile's kgotla meeting at Disana last week that some newly completed health facilities in other parts of the country also remained closed because of shortage of nurses.
http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20010627&i=Shortage_of_nurses_affects_health_posts

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Tuesday, June 26, 2001: Minnesota, Minneapolis: Support staff pickets Monticello hospital:"Lab technicians, licensed practical nurses and other medical support staff at Monticello-Big Lake Community Hospital District have set up informational picket lines to protest the latest wage and benefits contract proposed by hospital officials. The approximately 200 employees -- represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees -- have been working without a contract since December. According to union and hospital officials, the district made its final offer to the support staff Friday. The hospital district includes a 39-bed hospital and a 91-bed nursing home and outpatient counseling center, all in Monticello"
http://webserv3.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisSlug=HOSP26&date=26-Jun-2001&word=nurses&word=nurse&word=nursing

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Tuesday, June 26, 2001: Minnesota, Minneapolis: Fairview nurses vote to end strike:"Nurses voted Monday to end their 23-day walkout against two Fairview hospitals, approving a contract that calls for wage increases of roughly 20 percent over three years and gives them more say in staffing issues. As a result, about 1,350 registered nurses will return to work Friday at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina and Fairview-University Medical Center's Riverside campus in Minneapolis. The vote brings to a close a bitter labor dispute that had rippled through 13 metro-area hospitals and ultimately idled nurses at two hospitals. The tentative settlement had been reached Saturday by negotiators for the hospitals and the Minnesota Nurses Association, the nurses union. The Fairview nurses went on strike June 3."
http://webserv3.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisSlug=NURS26&date=26-Jun-2001&word=nurses&word=nurse&word=nursing

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June 26, 2001: Minnesota, Bloomington: Nurses at two Fairview hospitals approve new contract, end strike Statewire:"Nurses at two Twin Cities hospitals will return to work Friday after voting overwhelming to accept a new contract and end a three-week strike. More than 1, 300 registered nurses at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina and the Riverside campus of Fairview University Medical Center in Minneapolis voted Monday to ratify the proposed contract. The two Fairview hospitals became the last of 13 hospitals in the Twin Cities to finalize new contracts for their nurses.
http://webserv3.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisSlug=0626BC-MN--NURSESNEG&date=26-Jun-2001&word=nurses&word=nurse&word=nursing

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June 26 2001: England, Newcastle:Scared nurses in the region they could become victims of stalkers if moves go ahead to make their home addresses public.:"Draft proposals mean the name and address of any nurse on the professional register could be made available to anybody who wants them. But nurses in the region say that would leave them open to attackers and stalkers and are fighting the move. Surveys show that nursing is already one of the most dangerous professions there is, with dozens of nurses being attacked each year."
http://icnewcastle.ic24.com/0100news/page.cfm?objectid=11116324&method=full

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June 26, 2001: Maryland, Baltimore: Hospitals face work force shortage:"About 14 percent of the nursing positions and 8 percent of all clinical positions at Maryland hospitals are unfilled, according to a survey released Today by the Maryland Hospital Association. The report said there are 3,679 positions open at the state's 50 hospitals. More than half of those openings are for registered nurses -- further highlighting the state's nursing shortage. "The registered nurse vacancy problem occurred in the last two to three years," said Cal Pierson, president of the MHA. The vacancies for registered nurses may take as many as 3,000 people to fill because of part-time work, according to MHA officials."
http://baltimore.bcentral.com/baltimore/stories/2001/06/25/daily19.html

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Monday, 25 June, 2001: England (Great Britain) Nurses fear 'stalkers charter':"Nurses are worried about their personal safety. Proposals to publish a register which currently contains the home addresses of nurses are being described as "a charter for stalkers". New government legislation as it stands could mean anyone who asks the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for a copy of its register of staff will be entitled to one. The list contains the private details of 632,000 health staff around the UK."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1406000/1406816.stm

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Jun. 25, 2001: Canada, Nova Scotia: N.S. health-care workers walk off the job:"Day of protest takes aim at anti-strike bill. Some Nova Scotia health-care workers walked off the job this morning, affecting hospital services. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said it was holding a day of protest against the province's anti-strike bill, which is currently before the legislature. The union represents thousands of workers in all regions of the province except metro Halifax - everyone from licensed practical nurses to janitors. The Cape Breton District Health Authority cancelled non-emergency services such as lab and X-ray work. The authority called the protest an illegal walkout."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=993468379767

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Saturday, June 23, 2001: Maryland: A Shortage of Nurses: If the District's nursing shortage were caused by a lack of registered nurses, then the recruitment of nurses from other countries would make sense ["Hospitals Go Abroad to Fill Slots for Nurses," front page, June 11].
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/opinion/A35882-2001Jun22.html

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June 22, 2001: New York State, Albany: Albany Med nurses vote against union:"Nurses trounced a proposal to unionize at Albany Medical Center Hospital on Thursday, when a New York State United Teachers organizing effort was defeated by 237 votes. While last year's election fell short by just one vote and lingered as the sides waited on a disputed ballot, there was to be no agonizing this year. It became obvious during the count that there were far more "no'' votes than "yes'' -- 645 against a union, 408 for one."
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyKey=60733&category=F

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Jun. 22, 2001: Canada, Ottowa: Nursing shortage looming, forum warned:"Burnout means mature workers may retire early. A potentially crippling nursing shortage is at hand, a University of Toronto study says, with 17,000 nurses set to retire over the next three years. Dr. Linda Lee O'Brien-Pallas, a University of Toronto professor of nursing, said a work environment has to be created that makes more mature nurses feel they're respected and their work is valued. Otherwise, she said, they'll become part of the exodus, joining the 17,000 leaving from a national workforce of 81,000.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=993161101544

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June 22, 2001: Texas, Laredo: $265,000 Grant to A&M International to Address Hispanic RN Shortage.(ArtĂ­culo Breve):"A $265,000 federal grant aimed at expanding enrollment of regional Hispanic nursing students seeking RN degrees has been awarded to Texas A&M International University's Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. The Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided the award for the Nursing Special Project, to be known as STAT-RN (South Texas Access to RN Education), effective July 1, 1999."
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0FWK/2001_June_22/78047172/p1/article.jhtml

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June 21, 2001: Canada, Ottowa: Nursing crunch will soon tighten, report says:"Canada's nursing shortage will deepen dramatically in the next three years, Ontario research suggests. Ontario is expected to lose 14,000 of its 81,000 nurses due to retirement alone by 2004, Linda O'Brien-Pallas of the University of Toronto nursing faculty said today. But nursing resources are already stretched so thin that patient care is in jeopardy, O'Brien-Pallas told a forum sponsored by the Canadian Nurses Association. Trends are similar across the country, with retirements far exceeding the inflow of new recruits. Only 10 per cent of Canadian nurses are under the age of 30, while almost a third are over 50, data show."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=993119119889

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June 21, 2001: Canada, Nova Scotia: N.S. nurses show support for walkouts:"Two unions representing Nova Scotia nurses were in conciliation talks in Halifax hotels on today, but a strike vote for one union showed strong support for a walkout. Early strike vote results from the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, representing 4,400 registered and practical nurses, had seven of nine districts voting between 78 and 91 per cent in favour of a strike. Final results were expected this evening."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=993118974789

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June 21, 2001: Canada, British Columbia, Nova Scotia:Florence Nightingale flexes her muscle:"Nurses in Nova Scotia and British Columbia are seething. Governments in both provinces have introduced legislation that would override their collective bargaining rights. Premier John Hamm's Conservative government in Nova Scotia is bent on outlawing strike action by health-care workers and giving cabinet the power to impose new contracts. In B.C., Premier Gordon Campbell's new Liberal government has moved to force nurses and other hospital workers to continue on the job for 60 days. Nurses will no longer have the right to refuse to work overtime, which they have been doing to protest stalled contract talks for the past two months."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=993074564437

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Thursday, June 21, 2001: Washington State, Kenwick: Tri-City hospitals struggle with nurse shortage:"Tri-City hospitals in fierce competition for nurses during a nationwide shortage are looking closer to home to fill vacancies. Some beds remain empty at the hospitals, even as patients are sent to competing facilities because of a lack of nurses to care for them. But at Columbia Basin College, a lack of money has the nursing program ready to turn away students because it cannot afford the faculty to teach them.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/2001/0621/story1.html