Legislative Issues

[JustinAllen]

I was wondering what everyone thinks are the biggest legislative issues out there for nurses today. I know that nursing does not have great representation in DC and was just thinking about what issues affect everyone....or will affect everyone.

Thanks for any thoughts!

[GreyGull]

actually nurses do have a voice but it takes people joining their professional associations to stay informed and keep the interest in the issues alive.

examples:

http://nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/anapoliticalpower/federal/issues.aspx

http://www.ena.org/

http://www.nursing-alliance.org/

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Agree with above post. I stay informed on national and state levels thru professional associations.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I was wondering what everyone thinks are the biggest legislative issues out there for nurses today. I know that nursing does not have great representation in DC and was just thinking about what issues affect everyone....or will affect everyone.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Speaking from experience, I would say staffing ratios...not to decrease our workloads, but to provide for pts' basic needs and to keep them safe (paging Dr. Maslow...).

[APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I would say that nurses need more authority and "power" to act on issues of patient advocacy.

This is our most central role, but we are seen as a liability to the hospital (or other health care setting) and are more often that not, "encouraged" to leave either by "nudge" or by our own volition whenever we "make waves" for the sake of proper patient care.

Healthcare facilities will more than likely fire a "vocal" nurse for....oh....calling in sick more than the allowed three-times-a-year facility policy, or for a trumped up charge of "well.....she didn't fit in well with the rest of the nurses". (I could go on).

ACTUAL legislation that carries ACTUAL weight and enforceable consequences....That is what I would like to see.

[JustinAllen]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Lots of things to look at.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Medicare and Medicaid cuts are serious issues that affect nurse. The facilities are already seriously underreimbursed, and further cuts are expected. In places like FL, this will cause further decreases in staffing.

It ridiculous to expect that facilities have to always bear the brunt - we cannot refuse to treat the seriously ill. While there is great deal of abuse in the system, often among the pts covered, they rarely bear the cost.

We have feel good legislation in states regarding restrictions on use of restraints, yet rarely is there corresponding funds made available for sitters, forcing facilities to pony up more funds and/or let staff take big risks with falls. Then we get penalized for having a high fall rate, or get refused payment for the costs associated with falls.

Then there is the shafting with the paperwork. Most MDs cannot survive without being in a group practice - due to having bookkeeping personnel to fight ( and I mean fight) for their due money.

In places like Georgia, while I was working there, at one point medicaid payments were being held 6-18 months after services were given. Can we start telling pts, "you will just have to wait a year before your anesthesia is given, bAby is delivered, before we can incubate you. The patients would be dead.

But it is perfectly fine to kill off hospitals by these shenanigans.

[drmorton2b]

If your working full-time in a stable facility and NO place is immune right now from cut backs.... The thing is its a mess out there.

Its quite simple... less Medicaid and Medicare Reimbursements will lead to cut backs and higher private insurance premiums.

If someone could say it will get better... It would be nice..