National Nurses United
Advancing Nurse Advocacy and Healthcare Worker Protections During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Fenton partnered with National Nurses United (NNU) during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that nurses received the protections and support needed to continue caring for patients amidst a healthcare staffing crisis. Fenton implemented a multifaceted strategy that included earned media outreach on issues like workplace violence, staffing shortages, AI in healthcare, and COVID-19, along with targeted advertising campaigns and strategic counsel on message testing. Over five years, Fenton secured thousands of media placements, including stories in outlets like Politico, Axios, and Bloomberg, while building key relationships with reporters. Notable efforts included an op-ed in TIME, radio and billboard ads, and the launch of a website, toobig2care.org, to address hospital monopolies. Fenton’s work helped amplify the voices of nurses and raise awareness on critical healthcare issues.
What We Did
- Comprehensive Advocacy Communications Strategy
- Robust Earned Media Outreach
- Strategic Counsel for Message Testing and Surveys
- Radio, Digital, and Out-of-Home Advertising Campaigns
- Crisis Communications and Rapid Response Plan Development
- Stakeholder Engagement and Reporter Relationship Building
- Issue-Based Campaigns (e.g., workplace violence, staffing crisis, AI in healthcare)
- Op-Ed Development and Placements
- Digital Platform Creation (e.g., toobig2care.org)
- Targeted Ad Placements (radio, billboards, digital ads)
- Election Year Media Support and Advocacy Campaigns
CHALLENGE
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Fenton and National Nurses United (NNU) knew immediately that the power of collective action was more vital than ever. But the work ahead was equally important: fighting to ensure that nurses had the necessary protections to stay safe and care for patients. With pandemic care and a staffing crisis slowly becoming the norm, Fenton and NNU’s partnership harnessed the urgency of guaranteeing RNs across the country had what they needed, which in turn benefited us all.
APPROACH
Fenton deploys a comprehensive, no-stone-unturned approach to advocating for nurses, from the nation’s capital to streets across the country. Up against a health care industry seeking to minimize costs and limit human judgment in health settings at the expense of both worker and patient safety, Fenton has deployed a variety of communications tactics, including robust earned media outreach around issues including workplace violence, staffing crisis, AI, COVID-19 and other public health threats. Fenton also provides strategic counsel for message testing, member surveys, as well as radio, digital and out-of-home advertising.
IMPACT
Throughout our five-year partnership, Fenton has secured thousands of quality national and local media stories for NNU while building relationships with key reporters (including healthcare reporters at Politico, Axios, and Bloomberg) to inform, educate and shift common harmful narratives. We have connected nurses with reporters on the Hill, to educate them about the most pressing health care issues like the impacts of AI. We have built surveys and tested the best possible messaging to address the challenges of new technology in healthcare settings and developed a crisis communications and rapid response plan. During a pivotal election year, Fenton supported NNU with earned media wins such as an op-ed in TIME Magazine and with advertising in dozens of states. Additionally, Fenton built and launched toobig2care.org to call out hospital monopolies, and often coordinates targeted placement and ad buys ranging from radio ads targeted towards specific hospital systems to strategically-placed billboards to encourage voters to Vote Nurses Values.
