[NRSKarenRN]

NLN Update: Vol. VIII, Issue No. 5, March 14, 2005

NLN Update Index


The NLN is engaged in a continuing effort to bring the nursing faculty and nursing shortage to the attention of policymakers on Capitol Hill. In conjunction with the Americans for Nursing Shortage Relief Alliance (ANSR), we were instrumental in planning and coordinating a highly successful reception for members of Congress and their health legislative assistants that took place on March 1. Networking was a very important part of the evening. The NLN was fortunate to be represented by our president, Dr. Joyce Murray, and three members of the Executive Committee -- NLN treasurer Peggy Miller and Board of Governors members Dr. Betty Adams and Dr. Elaine Tagliareni. Kathi Ream, our manager of government affairs, chaired the planning and nominations committees and moderated the awards ceremony.

The awards presentation was very significant. Two senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, received the first-ever ANSR Awards for Public Service in recognition of their successful efforts to increase funding for nursing programs. Representing different political parties, the two senators were the driving force behind recent increases in funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs, from $93 million in FY 2003 to $151 million in FY 2005. Instrumental in steering the Nurse Reinvestment Act through the Senate in 2002, these two women have been true champions for nursing and for safeguarding the public health. We are proud to work with such dedicated, tireless, and effective advocates.

Unfortunately, we continue to be engaged in an uphill struggle for resources. Despite increasing nurse and nurse faculty shortages, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs face a potential decrease of more than $674,000 from the $150 million slated for the FY 2006 budget. Over the next few months, we will be calling on you to help us in our advocacy efforts. To ensure that your participation in this process is most effective, the NLN has added a new feature to our Public Policy Action Center. We can now focus our E-Mail Alerts, sending them directly to those NLN members who reside in the states or districts of the congressional members we need to target. Even if you are currently receiving the NLN's E-Mail Alerts, you must sign up on the homepage of the Public Policy Action Center to continue receipt for the future. Click on http://capwiz.com/nln/home/ to sign up now.



I urge you to lend your voice to this important process. With the support of advocates on Capitol Hill, our continued efforts as part of ANSR, and your participation through the NLN E-Mail Alerts, we will prevail. We have the ability to affect key policy issues and create a bright future for nursing education.

Warm regards,

Ruth D. Corcoran, EdD, RN
Chief Executive Officer

[NRSKarenRN]

From Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses website

Americans for Nursing Shortage Relief (ANSR)

Americans for Nursing Shortage Relief (ANSR) is an alliance of 46 national nursing organizations and 5 friends of nursing organizations and companies. ANSR is committed to promoting legislative and regulatory solutions to the current and impending nursing shortage. AWHONN is the chair of this coalition.

ANSR released Assuring Quality Health Care for the United States: Supporting Nurse Education and Training as hallmark community consensus document in the Spring of 2001. Provisions of this important document have found their way in numerous pieces of federal legislation including the Nurse Reinvestment Act, which was passed and signed into law during the Summer of 2002.

Currently ANSR activities focus on securing appropriations for the recently passed legislation.

Members of the ANSR Alliance
ANSR FY 2007 Funding Requests
ANSR FY 2007 Senate Testimony

[NRSKarenRN]

Update:

AMERICANS FOR NURSING SHORTAGE RELIEF

The ANSR Alliance is comprised of fifty-one national nursing organizations that united in 2001 to identify and promote creative strategies for addressing the nursing and nurse faculty shortages, including passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002 – an important first step in increasing the number of qualified nurses in America.

ANSR stands ready to work with policymakers to advance programs and policy that will sustain and strengthen our nation’s nursing workforce. To ensure that our nation has a sufficient and adequately prepared nursing workforce to provide quality care to every American well into the 21st century, ANSR advocates for the following:

�� At least $175 million in funding for Nursing Workforce Development Programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in FY 2007.


Assuring Quality Health Care for the United States: Building and Sustaining an Infrastructure of Qualified Nurses for the Nation

Check out: Consensus Document

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U.S. Representatives Lois Capps and Steven LaTourette Honored for Combating National Nursing Shortage, Advocating on Behalf of Nursing Workforce

As co-chairs of the House Nursing Caucus, U.S. Representatives Capps and LaTourette have been the driving force behind significant efforts to combat the nursing shortage and to raise awareness of other challenges to the nursing profession among their fellow members of Congress.