Nurses' shortage and nuclear energy

Pass laws now so we have enough nurses

How terrible that nurses had to strike to bring attention to the long-term problem of understaffing in our hospitals and nursing homes “Nurses strike for second day at two NYC hospitals,” News, Jan. 11].

Before retirement, I was the acting president of the New York State Nurses Association in my facility for 20 years. I met with legislators and facility bosses about passing laws to mandate safe staff-patient ratios. Unfortunately, nothing has changed, and the problem is getting worse.

People become nurses because they care about people and want to give them the best possible care. That is impossible when you have an unsafe workload.

Thank goodness these nurses had the courage and persistence to stand up for their cause. Everyone should be outraged that this staffing problem even exists. It’s time to take care of the ones who take care of us in our time of need.

We need laws to ensure that patients get the care they deserve by adequately staffing these facilities.

— Nancy deGruchy, East Meadow

Cleaning up facts on nuclear power

Lisa Tyson’s op-ed “No role for nuclear in our future energy mix” [Opinion, Dec. 27] provoked misinformed pro-nuclear responses “Ignoring nuclear energy big mistake,” Letters, Jan. 9].

Nuclear power is not renewable and requires a constant supply of mined uranium and management of its by-products. Dangerous radioactive waste lasts hundreds of thousands of years.

Although rare after a radioactive leak, a reactor core failure, a transformer fire and radiated water entering groundwater, the prospect of nuclear disaster at the Indian Point plant was real. The Shoreham plant would present the same risks.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are still mostly a concept developed in the United States, with only one company approved here. They still produce radioactive waste. Even grouped, they would produce only modest amounts of power. By the time any could be in operation, the deadline for cleaning up greenhouse emissions would be long past.

Solar and wind power run on fully renewable resources. Battery storage is going cobalt-free, and lithium will be replaced by sodium.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ambitious Long Island offshore wind generation plans are coming to fruition quickly, and they will help us achieve our mandated 100% clean electric grid by 2040. She must accelerate and expand offshore wind production.

— Alden Pearl, Valley Stream