Nurse Lobby Day For Safe Staffing Legislation- March 13, 2007

U.S.A. Illinois

Published

Join your fellow nurses in Springfield IL on Tuesday March 13, 2007.

Show your support for SAFE STAFFING LEGISLATION HB392 and SB605.

Meet with your Representatives and ask for their support in this important legislation. Your stories need to be told and your voices must be heard! Since November many nurses have met with Chicagoland Representatives. They listened to us as we walked (make that ran) them through a day-in-our-lives. Since then, we now have 9 co-sponsors in the House and 4 co-sponsors in the Senate. We need to keep the momentum going! Show your support by coming to Springfield, calling or writing your Representative. Ask them to support this important legislation.

The IHA is lobbying hard against any kind of staffing ratios. In 2006, several nurses and I have had the opportunity to meet with the IHA to discuss Safe Staffing Legislation and their response was "we do not support staffing ratios of any kind." Who represents you?

For more information on HB392 sponsored by Mary Flowers and SB605 Sponsored by Iris Martinez please go to:

http://www.housedem.state.il.us.members//flowers/mbillspon.htm

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If you would like more information on attending this important event, please PM me. Transportation will be available from the Chicagoland area.

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This is wonderful!

GOOD FOR YOU!

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Yesterday I was in Springfield and met with several representatives regarding HB392. We were told that they have received conflicting views on where nurses stand on staffing ratios.The Illinois Hospital Association is actively working with hospital administration to recruit nurses to speak out as opponents on this bill. (Saw them yesterday). Legislation needs to understand that nurses are UNITED on this issue. Safe Staffing ratios are vital in giving quality care. This will not pass unless we stand together. Hospitals and Hospital Associations have the power and money to undermine this legislation. We have our collective experiences and voices as bedside nurses. Use them on 3/13. Where are you Illiniois nurses?

If you want to attend or need more information- please contact me.

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On 3/13 over 75 nurses from throughout the state held a press conference, lobbied representatives and testified before the Health Access and Availability Committee to pas HB392 sponsored by Mary Flowers.

Not surprising, the IHA has been hard at work too, lobbing against this bill.:angryfire

Time and time again we have heard them tell legislators "staffing is not a problem in IL, staffing by acutiy works and nurses have a voice in how their hospitals staff."

The most dissappointing news was when the Illinois Nurses Association changed their position on this bill from neutral to opposed. Here are some comments from members of the IHA, INA and opponents of HB292:

*Good nurses should be able to handle their number of assigned patients.

*Nurses don't make medical errors because they ar over worked, it's because they need education.

*Some nurses who support this bill became nurses for the money.

*Reducing the number of patients a nuse has eill affect their critical thinking skills.

*My hospital will close.

*Quality of care will decrease.

*Patients in a medical surgical unit in a rural setting do not present the same needs as patients in an academic medical center in a urban setting.

After an often heated two hour debate, HB292 passed 8-3, with the understanding that the IHA, INA and proponents of the bill will negoitate and come to an agreement on staffing. The reason this bill survives is because of the phone calls, letters and the testimony from bedside nurses to their legislators asking for their support and telling their side of the staffing story.

The IHA/INA have expressed that hospitals should determine their own staffing levels based on acuity. The IHA has flooded hospitals with e-mails and power point presentations urging administrators, managers and nursing staff to oppose this bill!!!

Nurses from Illinois- IF YOU CARE ABOUT SAFE STAFFING, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT QUALITY CARE. I URGE YOU TO WRITE, CALL OR VISIT YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY.

The IHA will continue their efforts- So Must we!!

Do you need more information how? Please contact me.

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Legislation regulating nurse staff ratio has only tepid support

…Supporters, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, say having a set ratio of nurses to patients in Illinois hospitals would improve patient care.

"As nurses, we want to deliver a simple message to our lawmakers: Nurse staffing ratios save lives," said Tina DeVito, a registered nurse at a suburban Chicago hospital.

The Illinois Hospital Association and the Illinois Nurses Association, however, say nurse staffing levels should be set by individual hospitals….

…The sponsor of the legislation, state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, said she would not push he measure for a vote in the full House until a compromise is agreed upon.

But, she said lawmakers should create a standard for all hospitals so that nursing care is uniform in all areas of the state.

The legislation is House Bill 392….

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/03/13/news/124274.txt

If I were a voter in Illinois I would write, call, and e-mail Representative Flowers and ask her to push the measure. Also write, call, or e-mail my local senator and representative. I would encourage other nurses, hospital employees, friends, and family to do the same...

I would carry paper and stamped envelopes so they could write their letter and I would mail it.

Senate - http://www.ilga.gov/senate/

House - http://www.ilga.gov/house/

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I applaud all of you for supporting HB392. You are so right in that the IHA is actively trying to stop this. The CNO and her cronies at my hospital in IL are trying to persuade the RNs to campaign against this bill. It is sick the lengths of manipulation they are going to. What makes it even worse is the CNO should be the voice that supports the RNs. Instead she is acting the puppet for the IHA concerned for the bottom-line not the nurses or the patients. It makes me sick.

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You are right, our managers, directors and CNO should be support of their bedside nurses. The strongest voice we now have is with our state representatives. This is a very hot and contested topic in Springfield. The IHA is able to walk into any hospital, meet with administration and nurses and present a very slick power-point that opposes staffing ratios. What you and your fellow workers need to do is place a simple phone call or write a letter to your representatives asking them to support these bills. Many nurses you work with may not be able to attend lobby days or might even be afraid to openly voice their opinion about supporting these bills, but I have found that asking a nurse to make a call or signing a letter- they are more than happy to be involved.

Please contact me if you want more information on how to contact your rep., a sample letter to send....... etc...

The more collectively we act, the broader our reach throughout Illinois hospitals, the stronger we become. It takes only one nurse reaching out to another to make it happen. ACT NOW

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Actually, I would like to write a letter to the editor of the tribune. I have already contacted Mary Flowers (no response though) I think not only nurses should get behind this, but the public as well. The media is an extremely powerful force even for the IHA. I found a good article supporting ratios in JAMA 10-02, do you know of any other reputable articles supporting ratios and/or the California study? Thanks a lot!!!

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