Interview with local paper

[MQ Edna]

Hello Nurses. A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to my local paper the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette briefly describing the working conditions and mandatory overtime at the facility where I work. They actually contacted me and set up an interview for Thurs. morning. I'm on my way out the door for work. Any suggestions or tips on what to say or what not to say would be appreciated. My postion is that the public has a right to know about nursing issues that affect patient safety. Thanks.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Phew, "tech support" brother finaly could talk tonight and solve my computer glitch...unable to reply x 2 days @ advocacy site.

Nebby:

Keep up the good work. Found that the Penna. Cable Network (PCN) is carrying TV coverage of

Nursing Shortages : PA State Nurses Association this SATURDAY Aug. 25th at 9:10PM for anyone interested. Maybe you want to email this to reporter &/or tape it yourself to see what was presented.

I finally got the corect info that PCN carried on COMCAST Wallingford (part of old Suburban Cable) on Channel 76. I will be taping it if you are unable.

Also, plan on checking out PCN'c coverage Sunday, Aug.26th @4:40 PM :

Drug Related Deaths

PA House Urban Affairs Committee, Philadelphia.

Thanks, Oramar for tip re PCN's coverage.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

More info re the PSNA Nsg Shortage Forum:

PSNA Brings Nurse Leaders Together to Address State Nursing Shortage

On Thursday, August 23, 2001 PSNA hosted a Nursing Shortage Leadership Forum in Hershey to bring leaders in the nursing profession in the state together to dialog about the shortage and discuss possible solutions. Nearly 60 nursing professionals from

around the state attended the event. Those in attendance were invited to the forum by the association and consisted of nurse educators, administrators, leaders in various nursing and healthcare organizations, staff nurses, and PSNA leadership.

Speakers and their topics included:

Margarete Zalon, PhD, RN, CS, Welcome and ANA Overview

President Pennsylvania State Nurses Association

The Nursing Shortage a State Legislative Perspective

Representative Pat Vance

Nursing Shortage and Academia

Janet Sipple, EdD, MSN, BSN, RN, NP

Dean, St Luke's School of Nursing

Professor/Chairperson, St Luke's Hospital School of Nursing at Moravian College

The Nursing Shortage an Administrative Perspective

Denise Lucas, MSN, RN, CNAA,

VP Patient Services/Chief Nursing Officer DuBois Regional Medical Center.

President PA Organization of Nurse Leaders

The Impact Of Staffing and the Organization of Nurses on the Quality of Patient Care in Hospital Settings

Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN

Elouise Ross Eberly Professor of Nursing,

Pennsylvania State University, School of Nursing

PSNA staff and leadership have deemed the forum a huge success. Many great ideas were generated from forum participants and the speakers presented a wealth of information on the shortage and current initiatives. The forum also garnered some need

publicity for the association and the profession. All four central PA television stations covered the event, as did the PA Cable Network, the Associated Press, PA Public Radio, and WHP Talk Radio. Newsmagazines, Advance for Nursing and Nursing Spectrum

will also be publishing follow up articles in their next issues.

Information exchanged at the forum will be reviewed by the PSNA cabinets and will be reported on at the PSNA Annual Summit taking place September 28-29.