NCNA - Urgent Request for All NC Nurses

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

ncna legislative alert - call to action - april 20, 2009

urgent request for all nurses: contact house health committee members now to oppose hb 1286 - christian science nursing and protect the title of "nurse".

rep. martha alexander (d-mecklenburg) has introduced a bill that would allow christian science nurses to practice and be recognized with the title "nurse" without the proper education and training other nurses must attain. currently in north carolina, the use of the title "nurse" is restricted to those who have satisfied licensure requirements.

to legislate the title of "christian science nurse" to those who have not completed a rigorous educational program and passage of the nclex-rn examination as required by nc law would erode the public protection and the profession of nursing.

giving the title of "nurse" to any group other than licensed nurses is clearly a message to the 130,000 nurses in the state that the standards of education and passing of these national exams are meaningless.

preserve title protection for licensed nurses, by contacting members of the house health committee and urging them to vote no on hb 1286 and protect the title of "nurse" for those licensed.

forward this request to your nursing colleagues, as well as others in the healthcare arena and within your community.

your urgent response is much appreciated.

for a sample email and talking points on hb 1286, go to:

sample letter to legislator

talking points on hb 1286 - christian science nursing

also:

house health committee contact info

house bill 1286

for more information about the ncga long session as it progresses, go to the ncna government affairs webpage. check ncna's website for regular legislative updates (see the legislative update link on this legislative page, member login required).

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Thanks for sharing this, Vicky.

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

I don't understand. How in the world could a bill like this pass? You would think the BON would also be fighting this tooth and nail since they are the regulatory body right? So Christian Science Nurses don't believe in actually going to nursing school and taking the courses required by every nurse in the country and passing the national exam to be nurses. Heck even foreign educated nurses have a much harder time than that.

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

The legislature actually is over the BON - they write the basic laws about nursing or nursing areas of interest, which the BON then enforces.

I'm actually very pleased to see the NCNA taking such an active stance on behalf of the profession of nursing. They were strangely silent during the whole Medication Aid travesty.

The NC state legislators really need education about nursing and professional standards. The amount of ignorance can be astounding. (I know - I've dealt with some of them in the past over nursing issues.) It is our duty to inform them (in a diplomatic and respectful way, of course) as to what a danger the passage of this bill will pose to the citizens of the state! Don't assume they know! Many of them have not even considered the broad implications of deprofessionalizing the title "nurse." Your letters and e-mails really do make a difference! :up:

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Thank you for posting this. I'll forward it to my peers and coworkers.

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