Nurses Helping Nurses
allnurses Network: Central | Jobs | Books | Newsletter
allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses
Home General News Blogs Articles Students Region Specialty Degrees F.A.Q.
Nursing Activism/ Healthcare Politics /

Is there a nursing representative/lobbyist in washngton??



Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 388,686 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.
Page 3 of 3 < 12 3

No. 20
Old Apr 02, 2009, 05:01 PM

Default Re: Is there a nursing representative/lobbyist in washngton??
I'm in the same situation as you, californiadreaming. I'm a post bacc working on my prereq's, while also doing a lot of reading about the status of nursing in the US. After reading "Nursing Against the Odds," reading lots of posts on allnurses.com, and talking to nurses that I know, I'm fired up to do something to improve the status of the profession... I can hardly wait to get started, but I also feel a little bit lost. Where would I do it?

The Center for Nursing Advocacy has some great resources on their website, but the organization is now defunct. Nursing unions address the important problems of working conditions and pay for nurses in specific hospitals or in specific states, but they don't seem to focus much other issues, specifically funding for nursing education (and nursing profs, which is what I hope to be one day!) including residency programs for new nurse graduates. The ANA looks like it is where I should be involved, I suppose.

While I really hate to compare nursing to medicine, the AMA has a huge presence in federal, state, and local decisions about regulating and funding medical education and practice. Does the ANA have a similar reach? I get the impression that it still has many "oppurtunities for growth". I am committed to doing what I can now and especially once I'm practicing, but I don't feel like I'm being dismissive of anyone's dedication or rude by saying I'd like to see a more coordinated, powerful, and well funded national body lobbying for nurses and nurses' patients best interests.

Nurses have been on the forefront for social change for women, soldiers, and other groups in the US. Given all of their amazing social history, I'm almost surprized that nurses aren't the most powerful lobby around when they are fighting for themselves.
Top

3 Readers Gave Kudos
 
Advertisement
Sponsored Links
 
No. 21
Old Apr 09, 2009, 05:51 PM

Default Re: Is there a nursing representative/lobbyist in washngton??
Originally Posted by californiadreaming View Post
Thanks for all who responded. Let me clarify my post.

I am changing careers. Even though I'm not a nurse, or even in NS, I feel I should have an idea of what other nurses are saying about their career choice.

Needless to say, there are more negative comments than positive on this board . Now wait, don't toss me into the furnace yet.....is it not true there are some issues that could be/should be corrected? I have never heard anyone (in any field) working 12 hours without a meal or break. If this is typical, then there's a major problem that should be addressed.
Try repeating after me;

"Dear belabored working nurses,

I'm really sorry that my post offended all of you hard-working nurses. I am beginning to understand that your patient advocacy at the bedside puts your jobs on the line most each and every day that you work, let alone trying to improve the working conditions for nursing in general. I promise to loose some of my wet-behind-the-ears thinking before I condescend your supposed lack of political ambition again. Yours Truely, Californiadreaming.
Top
 
No. 22
from NRSKarenRN
Old Apr 15, 2009, 11:14 AM
Updated Apr 15, 2009 at 12:26 PM by NRSKarenRN

Default Re: Is there a nursing representative/lobbyist in washngton??
Originally Posted by hopefullyanrnsoon View Post
The Center for Nursing Advocacy has some great resources on their website, but the organization is now defunct.

The Center for Nursing Advocacy has transitioned into The Truth About Nursing
Mission statement
The Truth About Nursing seeks to increase public understanding of the central, front-line role nurses play in modern health care. Our focus is to promote more accurate, balanced and frequent media portrayals of nurses and increase the media's use of nurses as expert sources. The Truth About Nursing's ultimate goal is to foster growth in the size and diversity of the nursing profession at a time of critical shortage, strengthen nursing practice, teaching and research, and improve the health care system

Originally Posted by hopefullyanrnsoon View Post

While I really hate to compare nursing to medicine, the AMA has a huge presence in federal, state, and local decisions about regulating and funding medical education and practice. Does the ANA have a similar reach? I get the impression that it still has many "oppurtunities for growth".

Both AMA (medicine) and ANA (nursing) are nationaly recognized as the professional organization representing each profession. Their professional guidelines + code of ethics are recognized under federal law and are referenced to by state boards of medicine and nursing.

About AMA

About ANA Discover Your ANA video


Basic Historical Review of Nursing and the ANA shows the growth of nursing and influence of the organization since founding in 1896.

Snipets of this timeline related to nursing + lobbying include

1903
The first bills concerning registration for nurses were enacted in North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.

1905


The Nurses' Associated Alumnae joined with Great Britain and Germany to become the three charter members of the International Council of Nurses.

1914


ANA established the Central Information Bureau for Legislation and Information to supply data concerning the work of state boards of nurse examiners.

1921
ANA organized a legislative section.

1926


A tentative code of ethics for nurses was adopted by the American Nurses' Association



1934
ANA's House of Delegates approved an eight-hour day for nurses and conducted a national campaign to promote better working hours.

1938
ANA reported on its study of incomes and employment conditions of nurses. ANA recommended a salary schedule for nurses comparable to those of other women workers, a 48-hour week for nurses practicing in institutions, and vacations with pay.

1937

The board of directors of the American Nurses' Association appointed a special committee for the purpose of considering the question of nurse membership in unions.

1939
ANA adopted a policy favoring the licensure of all who nurse for hire.

1944
As a result of the action of ANA's Board of Directors in June, 1944, the name and status of the Clearing Bureau on Problems of State Boards of Nurse Examiners was changed to the Bureau of State Boards of Nurse Examiners. One function of this body was to devise methods and procedures for bringing about desirable and reasonable uniformity in relation to standards, regulations, examinations, and records.

1946
The ANA House of Delegates endorsed the 8-hour day, 4O-hour week for all nurses and called for the elimination of discrimination against minority groups

ANA delegates adopted the first association platform.

1949

ANA was accredited as an observer to the United Nations.

1950


ANA's House of Delegates adopted an intergroup relations program to work for full integration of nurses of all racial groups in all aspects of nursing.
ANA adopted a code of ethics for professional nursing.

1958
ANA's House of Delegates endorsed health care as a right of all people and urged the extension of social security to include health insurance for beneficiaries of old age, survivors, and disability insurance.


For the first time in the history of the ANA, a liaison committee was formed with the American Medical Association
( which continues to this day..Karen)

1964
Congress passed the Nurse Training Act of 1964, the first federal law to give comprehensive assistance for nursing education.

1973
Standards of Community Health, Maternal and Child Health, Geriatric, and Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice were published. In addition, a generic set of Standards of Nursing Practice was published

1977

ANA introduces health services bill to expand primary care services and encourages, where practicable in shortage areas, utilization of nurse practitioners in concert with physicians.

1980


ANA played a major role in getting an amendment passed prohibiting hospitals from using Medicare funds for anti-union activities. ...

....Time line continues with listing of many legislative efforts

Top
 
Page 3 of 3 < 12 3
Reply




Thread Tools


Who's Online
86 members
1,150 guests
1,236

42

lawsuit - But don't most RN's work through breaks/lunch...

0

Patient Evaluation of Retail Clinic Care

5

The hard to reach on-call doctor, and its effects on...

8

Woman charged with passing off prescription drug as...

22

Man in "Vegetative State" was conscious for 23...

2

Interesting article on ThedaCare's Collaborative Care Model

13

Possible breakthrough regarding MS

63

16th Philly area hospital to stop delivering babies: Mercy...

14

Really interesting article on Indian open hearts

12

High-Tech Pump Does What Her Heart Can't






Currently Reading This Page: 1 (0 members & 1 guests)

Interested in the hottest topics of the week? Subscribe to the Nurse-zine Newsletter.
Enter email address: