[brian]

Here are the results of last months survey question
Have you ever written to your Congressman to voice your approval or disapproval of pending bills/legislation that impact the nursing profession? :



Please feel free to read and post any comments that you have right here in this discussion thread by clicking the "Post Reply" button.

Thanks

[wildtime88]

hell yes!!!

I got back a nice little generic e-mail reply too.

I wonder what kind of response the members of AHA get back after awhile?

We see the service they are getting in the form of legislation being pushed through.

Hey but we can not blame them they are using the nursing shortage/crisis as an excuse and the ANA supplied them with all the ammunition they needed.

Maybe I should just avoid the rush and go to work at the Cleveland Clinic. What is the official dialect of the Philippines so I can go out buy something and start learning the language of my future coworkers. No personal offense to them. They were asked and paid to come and work here and as U.S. nurses we are ultimately allowing it.

I remember a staunch ANA member one time telling me that it would not affect salaries. I bet the nurses who work in or around the Cleveland Clinic would disagree right now and especially in the next year or 2.

[betts]

Brian,
I emailed all our elected officials here including; The President and HHS. I've posted the replies I've received in many a thread here and all,ALL,replied in kind; to wit: We are sorry to hear of the problems your experiencing but,being VA is a will to work state,the employee has no rights and the employer may terminate anyone for any reason or no reason except with regards too discrimination.
We in Congress are acutely aware of the nursing retention problem and the powers as they are written,given too those that administrate healthcare facilities and are debating these issues.
I appreciate your concerns and will keep you informed...blah blah blah.....

My husband and I,will be relocating.

[betts]

I'm tired and forgot to add the link for the email addresses for ALL of our ELECTED OFFICIALS:

http://www.governmentguide.com/main.adp

[NRSKarenRN]

PA State Senator Bell sent a personalized, handwritten note attached to his postcard re mandatory overtime legislation AND signed on as a sponsor after meeting his staff.
Also helped that an article from ANA re effects of MOT on nurses along with PSNA's testimony to labor committee included in material presented.

Didn't realize HOW much an impact writing ment till I was in Washington, DC forr ANNA's Lobby Day this year. Overheard congressment not from my area walk into his office and ask "How many telephone calls + mail today for each side of XYZ issue" THAT's how he voted.

[pattyjo]

I contacted my state senator this summer re MOT bill in PA. Got an email and phone call back from her, talked with her staff; a month later met her in her office and she remembered the issue and was very supportive. (Signed on as co-sponsor) I have been told that legislators on the federal level do look at what is happening in the states, so contacting our local representatives does have a farther-reaching impact.
Patty

[P_RN]

I have. Usually I get a form letter from Rep. L. Graham, sometimes one from Sen.E. Hollings-usually not though, and *Always* a letter and a couple of times a call from Strom Thurmond's.
My father's office was next to his local office for many years.

(PS His 99th birthday is Wednesday.)

[ocankhe]

The poll so far seems to be running about 50/50 To the RN who haven't contacted their officials I ask why? Would appreciate your thoughts so please reply.

[pattyjo]

Good question, ocankhe.
I attended a meeting where the guest speaker was a member of the legislature in my state. He talked about the impact of letters from constituents. I am paraphrasing here, but the point he made was that writing a letter takes about 10 minutes: if we can't take *10 minutes* to write to our representatives, just how important is the issue? If mandatory OT or staffing or nursing education and the shortage are issues worth discussing, they sure are issues worth contacting our congresspeople about.
Patty

[-jt]

Yes. I wrote to my state assemblyman & not only received a reply, but he convened a community forum on the issue & I was the only bedside nurse he invited to discuss the issues of the bedside nurse & pts. The rest were administrators. I brought 2 other bedside nurses with me. The forum was televised on the community cable channel & not only did the Assemblyman hear what bedside nurses had to say but the community was enlightened too. I discussed the safe-staffing bills that had been written by NYSNA & is before the legislature for debate and passage to law.(includes abolishing mandatory ot) Subsequently, by the end of the day, my Assembly committed to supporting the legislation & signed on to it.

This year, the state legislature convened a task force on the shortage after hearing from so many nurses & our state association. Forums were held all around the state & much info was given by nurses to the lawmakers. Those forums didnt happen because the legislators thought of it. They happened becaue the nurses kept the phone calls, letters, & visits coming.

I wrote to my Congressman about the issues & was invited to visit his office when I was in DC for the UAN RN Lobby Day. He signed on to support the ANA safe staffing bills.

I wrote to my state Senators. They are already on board on all of our issues. Because of hearing from so many nurses, Clinton participated on the Senates hearing panel convened to hear nurse testimonies & study the issue. ( texts of the testimonies can be viewed on the ANA website). Working with the ANA & its nurse members, she has submitted legislation to help reverse the shortage.

Articles on several of the legislations now being reviewed by Congress re: the nursing shortage are posted on the Nursing Politics/Activism page of this website. Our elected officials need to hear from us on all of those issues.