I work with the sick and elderly and dont get paid sick days

By: Patricia Hughes

I am a home care nurse who works two jobs, goes to school full time, and I have no access to paid sick days. When I get sick, I have to choose between going to work and paying my rent. Because of this lack of access I have a risk of illness for my patients and a risk for complications for myself. My patients are immunocompromised and my taking care of them sick means I put them at risk of death. According to a report by the Harvard Medical School 45,000 Americans die each year due to lack of access to health care. Women are primarily in charge for taking on the health care responsibilities for their families, and without access to paid sick days the children of the United States are going to suffer, because is mom is sick and kids are sick and they cannot afford to time off of work to go to the doctor they are putting children are risk for severe illness and possible hospitalization and that will drive up health care costs astronomically. In the long run it saves everyone money if people have access to paid sick days.