Nurses Say the System Is Flatlining

US News

Nurses Say the System Is Flatlining

What’s going on: Across the country, nurses have hit a breaking point, initiating strikes that are impossible to ignore. More than 31,000 health-care workers walked off the job at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and Hawaii this week. In New York City, nearly 15,000 nurses have been on strike since Jan 12 — the largest nursing walkout in the city’s history. At the heart of both fights sit the same issues: unsafe staffing levels, exhaustion, and contract talks that have stalled. Hospital systems dispute that picture, and Kaiser has labeled its strike “unnecessary.” But the tension has simmered for years. Many hospitals never fully restaffed after the pandemic, and hiring has slowed again, according to Axios.

What it means: When staffing shortages collide with walkouts, patients can feel the strain. Over the past two decades, nursing strikes in New York produced sobering results: Deaths rose nearly 20%, readmissions climbed 6.5%, and ICU patients faced the greatest risk, per Gothamist. So what about the current day-to-day impact? Emergency rooms stay open, but hospitals may push back elective surgeries and reschedule routine visits. Continuity of care can also suffer as temporary nurses fill in and learn about new systems and patients. If you have upcoming visits with one of these hospital networks, stay proactive: Check your patient portal for updates, call ahead about appointments, and flag prescriptions that need refills. And show a little love to the health-care workers in your life — maybe we need to bring back the daily clap and pot bang routine again.

Related: Los Angeles Maternity Ward Closures Push More Births Into ERs (The Guardian)

The News in 5

🗞️ Some federal agents could leave Minnesota as soon as today, while one controversial Border Patrol official lost his job, according to The Atlantic. This comes after President Donald Trump spoke with Minnesota officials on Monday.

🗞️ The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance that defies federal vaccine recommendations. Here’s what they’re telling parents instead. 

🗞️ Turns out, federal tax refunds could be bigger than usual this year. But future generations sure won’t like the reason why. 

🗞️ One of the most popular makeup companies, which has styled runways from Victoria’s Secret to Schiaparelli, just filed for bankruptcy. 

🗞️ An NFL Super Bowl graphic from September has ignited a new internet conspiracy theory. Prescient, if nothing else.

Care

The Cognitive Case for Letting Your Parents Babysit

What's going on: In recent years, we’ve heard stories of overburdened grandparents dodging their kids’ calls to get out of babysitting. No, it doesn’t fit the pie-baking-granny-of-yore stereotype, but, at a certain point, it’s understandable. Now, there could be a fresh reason to loop them into childcare — at least once in a while. A new, small study of 3,000 grandparents in the UK found that caregiving for grandbabies could slow cognitive decline. Specifically, bubbes who watched, played with, or cared for grandkids — as well as those who made meals or helped with homework — scored higher on memory and verbal fluency tests than those who stayed hands-off.

What it means: If nothing else, this is another card to play the next time your sitter cancels. But keep in mind, the study does not argue for full-time grandparent daycare. In fact, researchers found that frequency didn’t matter much. Even occasional caregiving appeared to deliver a cognitive boost. That also means you don’t have to feel guilty if you live far from home; just make the moments you do see family count. The bigger takeaway reaches beyond babysitting logistics. Older adults tend to thrive when they stay socially connected and mentally engaged with people they love. A word to the wise, though. Even with this research, it remains more than OK to set boundaries with parents and in-laws. Anyone who has watched Everybody Loves Raymond already knows why.

Related: This State Is Giving Grandparent Caregivers Access to Free Child Care (The 19th)

Work

Health Is Wealth Until Your Company Doesn't Want To Cover It

What's going on: The wellness boom isn’t going anywhere…unless you work in Corporate America. As the economy keeps doing whatever this is, many companies want to cut back on what they can. The lowest hanging fruit? Workplace wellness programs. One survey estimates that American companies spend $65 billion a year on wellness — that includes everything from subsidized gym memberships to nap pods (please, keep those). They’ve become staple benefits, especially as people began to prioritize their health post-pandemic. Now, many employers have started to reassess what actually delivers value — and what they can replace with cheaper options.

What it means: While wellness perks sound nice, the truth is, many employees don’t use them. A 2023 Deloitte survey found that about 68% of workers failed to take full advantage of their wellness benefits. In most cases, the issue wasn’t disinterest — it was confusion. The programs felt complicated or were not designed with real needs in mind. If that sounds familiar, take the initiative. Put time on HR’s calendar and ask questions. Be direct with your HR team and manager about which benefits would actually support your health and day-to-day life. At the end of the day, a lot of companies want a balance between benefits that keep employees happy and healthy, while the cost of health insurance grows. Talk about ROIs. 

Related: Is Your Company One of the “Best” Places To Work? (Forbes)

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ President Trump is expected to deliver a speech on the economy and energy in Iowa. 

🗓️ The US formally withdraws from the Paris Climate Agreement. Here’s what that could mean. 

🗓️ It’s National Chocolate Cake Day, so naturally, Smitten Kitchen’s “I Want Chocolate Cake” cake is in order. Batter up.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Know It All

Why did President Donald Trump say he plans to skip the Super Bowl this year (beyond his critiques of the halftime performers)?

Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Mallory Simon, Molly Longman, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.