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This week on Nurse Talk Casey and Dan visit with RN and National Nurses United Co-President, Deborah Burger. It isn't unusual that we found Deborah on her way home from an important nurses' rally in Michigan--because that's what Deborah does when she isn't working her full time job at a hospital in Northern California. Deborah chats with us about the upcoming Day Of Action on September 1st. The purpose of the Day Of Action is to bring awareness to the growing divide in our country between the rich and the poor. It sounds simplistic but it's not--and as our politicians work toward more cuts in basic services and education, access to affordable healthcare gets further and further out of reach, our jobs are being shipped offshore and Medicare and Social Security are being threatened--something must be done. Who better to lead the charge than nurses? Find out how you can get involved at nationalnursesunited.org.

Michigan RN Katie Oppenheim talks about serious concerns for patients of the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Four-thousand registered nurses at the UMHS, represented by the Michigan Nurses Association/National Nurses United, held a press conference Tuesday at the University of Michigan about the future of quality patient care at one of the nation’s leading medical facilities. Nurses announced they are prepared to picket the hospital on August 13 should management refuse to withdraw demands that the nurses say will erode nursing standards at the facility. Katie also talks about the recent "No Soup for You" Soup Kitchen on the Capitol lawn sponsored by Michigan Nurses Association protesting budget cuts in social programs.

Coming Up...while the summer grilling continues for Casey and Dan we have a great rewind! Enjoy and share this with your friends, enemies, nannies and anyone else you can think of! And next week all new Nurse Talk shows. Hunting from a recliner? No, it's not Sarah Palin but it's a great story. Tune in as Casey and Dan talk about this and much more. Joining us is Minnesota RN Jean Ross. Jean is one of three co-presidents for National Nurses United and has been an RN for over 30 years. Checking in about national issues from single payer healthcare to the proposed Medicaid and Social Security cuts, Jean says, "we fight because we have to."  With over 160k members National Nurses United is a powerful political force on the national political scene. And later...we host an incredible woman, Dr. Yvonne S. Thornton, author of the best selling book, The Ditchdigger's Daughters. Dr. Thornton has just finished her second book, Something to Prove, A Daughter's Legacy to Fulfill a Father's Legacy. When she was a little girl her father had a dream that all five of his daughters would be doctors. He knew that would not happen if they stayed in the housing projects so he moved the family to a different state and the rest of the story you won't believe! Oh, how about five doctors in the family? Try four and one nurse. This is a story that you will hear and be clear that anything is possible! Dr. Thornton says, "Don't let anybody else define who you are." You can listen in the Boston area on station WWZN 1510AM every Saturday at 11 am EST or live stream at www.revolutionboston.com and in the San Francisco Bay area Sundays at 2PM PST on Green 960AM or live stream at www.green960.com. You can also download and listen to any show anytime here at NurseTalkSite.com or on iTunes. Like us on Facebook, and you can listen there too. Remember "laughter is the best medicine!"

What happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas...Casey and Dan talk with RN Lisa Myers from St. Rose Hospital in Las Vegas. Lisa and thousands of fellow nurses have gone through a protracted negotiation process with their hospitals since the nurses voted unanimously to join National Nurse United over 15 months ago. Although Lisa's hospital has settled their new contract some of the others have not. At issue? Safe nurse-to-patient ratios. Studies prove that having fewer patients during shifts saves lives. Listen to our discussion...One of those patients may one day be you!

Casey and Dan talk with RN Lisa Myers from St. Rose Hospital in Las Vegas. Lisa and thousands of fellow nurses have gone through a protracted negotiation process with their hospitals since the nurses voted unanimously to join National Nurse United over 15 months ago.  At issue? Safe nurse-to-patient ratios. And Kaiser RN, BSN Susan Dean joins us in the studio.  For the past seven years she's gone to Guatemala with a team of doctors and nurses from around the U.S. with the organization Faith in Practice (http://faithinpractice.org). During a week's time the team performed over 80 lifesaving medical procedures. Susan is also a volunteer with Operation Access, an organization that provides medical care to the uninsured right here at home in the San Francisco Bay Area (http://www.operationaccess.org).    

Our friend and Capitol Hill correspondent Donna Smith (legislative organizer for National Nurses United) asks "Who's Your Doctor's Daddy?" Healthcare giants buying up hospitals is not new...but they're also buying up the doctors. Donna tells us the reasons all of this is disturbing, confusing and something everyone should know about.

Our Capitol Hill correspondent Donna Smith, legislative organizer for National Nurses United, asks the question "Who's Your Doctor's Daddy?" Do you know who owns the medical facility you have or will be treated in? Do you understand the paperwork you sign when you are admitted to a hospital or clinic? Check it out. And powerhouse medical paralegal Corine Mogenis talks with us about a new book she and partner Patricia Raya have written called Medical Tips from the Inside: Things You Need to Know. This book is a must have and includes topics such as, how and why you should get medical tests from your doctors, the patients bill of rights, having an advocate with you, what to do if you are diagnosed with a serious illness and much more.

While the nurses are burning steaks on the barbie...enjoy a rewind! All new series of shows coming soon...stay healthy! Sexy 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme S Coupe’s significance becomes clear on the show this week. What happened to Casey's poor aunt Sylvia? Listen and find out. An old friend of Nurse Talk calls to check in...oh boy she never disappoints...who could it be? Casey and Dan chat about 2010 and Casey shares that if she could pick a song that reflects last year it would be "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Hmmm? Great show this week. Florida RN Gwen Collins checks in with us to talk about her efforts to protect her patients and how she is educating her community on the importance of RN-to-patient ratios. It's not just a nursing issue. It is an issue that has an impact on all of us. And later, we talk with author Susan Shapiro Barash. Susan is the author of the best seller, Toxic Friends: The Antidote for Women Stuck in Complicated Friendships. She has written a new book called, You're Grounded Forever...But First, Let's Go Shopping: The Challenges Mothers Face with Their Daughters and Ten Timely Solutions. Are we raising monsters? Why do mothers feel like they need to be friends with their daughters? Get the answers and check out Susan's book. Join us for all the fun. You can listen in the Boston area on station WWZN 1510AM every Saturday at 11 am EST or live stream at www.revolutionboston.com and in the San Francisco Bay area Sundays at 2PM PST on Green 960AM or live stream at www.green960.com. You can also download and listen to any show anytime here at NurseTalkSite.com or on iTunes. Like us on Facebook, and you can listen there too. Remember "laughter is the best medicine!"

Casey and Dan talk with Florida RN Gwen Collins.Gwen sits on the National Nurses Organizing Committee's State Leadership Council. She is a tireless advocate for patients and nurses alike and is working hard in he hospital community and he community at large to introduce and pass RN Patient Ratio legislation. Don't miss the upbeat chat about how we can all effect change.

Michael Lighty joins Nurse Talk for a conversation about Main Street vs. Wall Street. Which side are you on? Michael is the articulate and passionate Director of Public Policy for National Nurses United. Michael recently spoke with Casey at the NNU Staff Assembly in D.C. You won't want to miss what he has to say.

Coming Up...Casey and Dan just can't get enough of themselves! The jury is still out as to whether others feel the same... Great show though. What do the Pips have to do with it? Listen and find out. Michael Lighty joins Nurse Talk for a conversation about Main Street vs. Wall Street. Which side are you on? Michael is the articulate and passionate Director of Public Policy for National Nurses United. Michael recently spoke with Casey at the NNU Staff Assembly in D.C. You won't want to miss what he has to say. Later in the show RN and author Kate Genovese joins us. Kate has written a book called Thirty Years In September, A Nurse's Memoir. Her memoir poignantly describes the adventures of her nursing career, beginning with her trial some days as an LPN, when she lost her nursing license because of a drug addiction, her recovery, and going back to school once again to obtain her RN. Full of hilarious anecdotes, Thirty Years is a tale of strength, hope, and courage in a world of sickness and death. And last but not least our hosts chat with RN Rita Grady who just happens to have the same last name as Dan. That’s right Dan’s mom is going to visit with us about her recent Red Cross "tour of duty" in the tornado ravaged states of Alabama and Missouri. Rita doesn't mind if we share with you she is 82 and has an aversion to recliners. And of course the Phobia, Square Needle, news and hiccups in between. You can listen in the Boston area on station WWZN 1510AM every Saturday at 11 am EST or live stream at www.revolutionboston.com and in the San Francisco Bay area Sundays at 2PM PST on Green 960AM or live stream at www.green960.com. You can also download and listen to any show anytime here at NurseTalkSite.com or on iTunes. Like us on Facebook, and you can listen there too. Remember "laughter is the best medicine!"

Casey talks with our friend RN and human rights activist DeAnn McEwen. DeAnn just returned (to her home in Southern California) from a trip to NYC where she was joined by hundreds of other nurses and others in a rally on Wall Street. The message was simple, Wall Street---pay your fair share! It's not radical...it is a simple 1/2 penny transaction tax. That alone would raise an estimated 38 billion dollars...that's with a B! www.nationalnursesunited.org.

Rick Compton and Betsy Bennett, creators of Assisted Living The Musical, join us to discuss the opening of their show in San Francisco. Check it out at www.assistedlivingthemusical.com. Casey also interviews DeAnn McEwen, who joined hundreds of other nurses in a rally to tell Wall Street pay its share! A proposed 1/2 penny transaction tax would raise an estimated 38 billion dollars....that's with a B! www.nationalnursesunited.org. And later we visit with Wayne Cooke, author of On The Far Side Of The Curve. Wayne is eight years away from his colon cancer diagnosis and gives a very down to earth account of his journey.  

Coming Up...a rewind and an update from Boston about how things are going at two hospitals we featured (Tufts and St. Vincents) as the poster children for worst practices by hospital administrators. AND a moving and inspirational story told by Linda and Tony Cole. When the Cole's son Anthony was 12 years-old he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the school playground. It took paramedics 13 tries to bring Anthony back. Now 23, he lives with a brain injury and Tony and Linda have written a book about their remarkable journey. News Flash This week hundreds of nurses and allies marched on Wall Street as part of the Main Street Contract for America. Their demands are simple...tax Wall Street transactions 1/2 cent per transaction. That's it! Let's all pay our fair share. More next week. On with the show: Casey and Dan open the by announcing the 2011 uninsured death tolls for California and the U.S... Do read more about this on our blog. AND in an attempt to share more medical knowledge with their listeners---Casey decides they should read from the Physicians Desk Reference...you know...like the Republicans read the Constitution the first day of the congressional session.Later in the show, our nurses visit with Massachusetts RN Barbara Tiller. Barbara works at Tufts Medical Center and is chair of the Massachusetts Nurses Association's local bargaining unit. Barbara will share with us some disturbing facts about two hospitals in her area, (Tufts and St. Vincents) notorious for worst practices by hospital administrators to cut costs and boost profits by failing to provide appropriate nurse staffing. There have been over 800 unsafe staffing reports filed against one hospital alone. And an inspiring conversation with Linda and Tony Cole who have written a book called Resurrecting Anthony: A True Story of Courage & Destination. They wrote the book about their son Anthony. When Anthony was 12 years old he was at school and out for recess when he said to a friend, "I have no pulse" and then collapsed on the playground. It took paramedics 13 tries to bring him back to life. Now 23, Anthony lives with a brain injury and Tony and Linda have written about it. You won't want to miss the remarkable story of courage. And of course the same old craziness from our hosts, Square Needle, Phobia of the Week and lots in between. You can listen in the Boston area on station WWZN 1510AM every Saturday at 11 am EST or live stream at www.revolutionboston.com and in the San Francisco Bay area Sundays at 2PM PST on Green 960AM or live stream at www.green960.com. You can also download and listen anytime at NurseTalkSite.com or on iTunes. Like us on Facebook, and you can listen there too. Remember "laughter is the best medicine!"

Discussion about the role nurses are playing in leading the voice of opposition to cuts in Medicare and Social Security and fighting for taxation on wall street transactions. Listen, we are not talking about about persecuting those who do business on Wall Street---we are simply calling for a fair transaction tax in the amount of a half a penny per. Our D.C. friend and expert on all things Capitol Hill, RN Donna Smith is with us to make sense out of the sometimes senseless.