Right now, nurses around the country are virtually meeting with senators to lobby for protection for ourselves and our fellow health care workers.

After working mentally and emotionally draining shifts, often lasting 12-plus hours, we are STILL having to spend time off the clock demanding things we should already have. We’re asking you to have our backs and call on Congress to use their power to protect all health care workers.

In order to provide the protections we need, Congress must:

Mandate the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enact an emergency temporary infectious diseases standard.
Mandate the president to fully utilize the Defense Production Act to direct U.S. manufacturers to massively scale up production of personal protective equipment (PPE).

We are asking you to call your senators today so we can pressure each and every one of them to follow through and protect nurses.

To call your senators, use our COVID-19 national hotline:

→ Dial (202) 335-6015 ←

You can use this sample script when you call (be sure to mention if you are a nurse or health care worker!):

“Hi, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of yours from Washington. I’m calling to ask you to stand with nurses by mandating that OSHA enact an emergency temporary infectious diseases standard and mandating that President Trump fully utilize the Defense Production Act. Nurses across the country are reporting that they are still not receiving the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to safely care for COVID-19 patients. We need you to take action NOW to get nurses the PPE they need to take care of their patients and keep us all safe. If nurses become infected, they won’t be there when you and your loved ones need them. Thank you.”

Tell us how it went »

Our leaders in Washington have shown that they will take shortcuts in the midst of the pandemic, leaving nurses without the protective equipment we need nationwide. We are tired of the excuses, the waiting, and the false hope. Calling on our senators to act is how we are going to finally get the PPE from this administration that nurses so desperately need.

Last week, we released a video of our virtual candlelight vigil we held with nurses across the country. We came together to honor the lives lost and call attention to the grave danger nurses are put in every day when they’re asked to treat patients without necessary protection. Now, we need Congress to do their jobs and protect nurses so we don’t have to mourn any more nurse deaths.

Bonnie Castillo, registered nurse and NNU executive director, ended the vigil by quoting union activist Mother Jones, who said, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” We must all do our part and fight like hell for every nurse on the front lines.

Take a moment to call your senators today so we can pressure each and every one of them to mandate OSHA enact an emergency temporary infectious diseases standard and force the president to fully utilize the Defense Production Act.

In solidarity,

National Nurses United