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ANA Poised to Speak Out on the Need to Protect Nurses from Disabling Back Injuries
6/25/01

Last week the Department of Labor (DOL) announced in the Federal Register three public forums "to discuss possible approaches to addressing ergonomic hazards in the workplace." A long-awaited DOL standard on Ergonomics was repealed by both houses of Congress last spring and leaves nurses unprotected from disabling
back injuries. Worker advocacy groups, including ANA, recently petitioned the Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao to again take up the issue of ergonomics and have the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issue a standard.

The public forums on ergonomics will be held on July 16 and 17 at George Mason University in Northern Virginia, July 20 at the University of Chicago and July 24 at Stanford University in California. Information can be found at the OSHA web site http://www.osha-slc.gov/ergonomics-standard/index.html.

ANA submitted our notice of intent to speak at the hearings and is awaiting confirmation of the location and time. We will once again be calling upon nurses to communicate the need for a strong, preventive standard to prevent disabling back injuries among nurses to the regulatory agencies and congress. Watch for upcoming notices on www.NursingWorld.com

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July 11th - Online Survey - Workplace Health & Safety -
6/20/01

Your input into the ANA Staffing Survey helped make safe staffing the talk of the nation, gaining the valuable attention it needed. Our next online survey begins July 11, 2001, and will focus on Workplace Health and Safety.

This time around, we will have drawings for both NursingWorld shirts and Nursesbooks.org gift certificates. Spread the word - the more responses, the greater the impact. Enjoy your summer.

We will remind everyone via the NursingInsider, our free e-newsletter
http://www.ana.org

[Maria uk]

Hello I am a work injuried nurse from the uk who has been working with a work injuried nurse in America to get the issue of nurses with back injuries in America getting some suport from their nursing unions like we have in the UK.

We have formed a group called "BIN There" and as yet have had no replay from the ANA as to supporting nurses. I an a activist within my nursing union in the UK the union is Royal Collage of Nursing (RCN) and they have a forum with in for disabled nurses but they do alot more than just a talking shop . this forum is called WING (work injuried nurses group)
Anne and myself have got a discussion forum set up on the Phli-e-slide site, they offered us this space on their web site not to advitise their products but because they too belive in preventing nurses from back injuries.
Please come and look at our discussion forum and join in at present our voices is but a wisper in the wilderness, their are lots of little wispers going on around America lets join together and let the wisper become louder and that way nurses will not be wasted, I was forced to leave nursing at first because of my injurie now I am back working in a new field of nursing but I have nurses who even through are wheelchair user she is still working in ER, as a fully active member of the team with adjustments made for her disability. and there are others.

Help use to get BIN There off the ground and to get the ANA to support the formation of this group. Work injuried nurses who are no longer working but wish to stay part of the RCN can do so through WING. They may have been forced to leave nursing hands on but they can still remain active withing the RCN if they wish by been part of WING.


BIN There
Back Injuried Nurse

Don't Fllow Me

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The day after the results of the ANA staffing survey were released in February, 100 news stories were reported on the nursing shortage & the country started paying attention. The study results have been cited again & again in legislations & news reports ever since. Hard data from nurses ourselves proves the point, makes our case & gets results. We need to get our workplace environment fixed if we are ever going to hope to solve the shortage of bedside nurses in hospitals and nursing homes. Mandatory OT & staffing were adderssed in the last survey & these issues have been on the front pages ever since. Another problem with the workplace which is keeping nurses away from it is safety - our own.

Therefore......


July 11th - Online Survey - Workplace Health & Safety -
6/20/01

Your input into the ANA Staffing Survey helped make safe staffing the talk of the nation, gaining the valuable attention it needed. The next online survey begins July 11, 2001, and will focus on Workplace Health and Safety. It takes just 5 minutes to take this survey & to continue the fight to improve working conditions and protect the health and safety of nurses. ......

http://www.ana.org/mainsurvey/index.cfm?sid=2200

[Jenny P]

I took the survey and it took less than 5 minutes to do. Please everyone, take just a few minutes out of your day and fill out this survey. I've copied the survey questions and will take it to work along with the e-mail address so all of my co-workers can also take it.
I'm tired of workplace injuries and have had a number of them through the years. Let your voices be heard by filling out this survey! (BTW, when I'm on the 'puter a lot, it's usually due to too much pain from a workplace injury at Christmas and all I can do is sit).