2/4/09: Nursing Activism Primer-- Legislation, Lobbying/ Contacting Elected Officials

Nurses Activism

Published

Thanks Karen for the link. I found out that HR 117 had been taken off the floor because of our LETTERS against it. There had been a major flood in the legislatures' mailboxes. And I am proud my letters contributed to the flood. Now at least our employers can't substitute time off for overtime pay. I even sent out the information to my whole class using the e-mail group we are all enrolled in. I'm not yet sure about the rest of the bill and whether we can still get OT pay at time and a half. If this is still current, then I'll write my legislative paper in school on this topic since I got involved in it over the spring/summer. Just got my syllabus. However I'm having trouble finding these bills on the internet now. Any suggestions or is that a sign its a done deal for now - off the floor and dead. I know jt was very involved in this too. Again thanks.

Mary

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Originally posted by funnygirl_rn

I still continue to write to various representatives & I also get to speak to some influential people at Special Olympics fund-raisers.

But, I honestly believe that we need to stand as a large group, in order to "fix" or change the situation. Sometimes, a newspaper ad, an organized march (like the docs do), going on National Public Radio, and/or television. Voices need to be heard..not swept under the rug!!

Until we actively make our VOICES heard, we will continue to work in the environment that we do....because we allow it.

It can be hard for nurses to articulate what we do and need; a good book to help with this is "From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public", by Bernice Buresh & Suzanne Gordon.

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Thanks Karen for you helpful assistance. I am untaking a project for school r/e participation in nursing lobbying and legislation. The link to tracking nursing legislation is helping me get a grasp on what's out there.

Keep updating your thread...I'll use it as I undertake this endevour to unite with the profession to enact change!

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It seems to me that the ANA has some severe problems within

their system. I haven't seen any improvement in working

conditions, staffing, positive public relations...so just who are these people anyway??? Are they like most of the Nurse Managers who seem to forget they used to be a Nurse too...

Every Nurse I know and speak to at work, are almost at the

boiling point....and it seems that no one not even other nurses

care...of course when you work for the largest for profit health

care group in the US....the CEO's and their management teams

are only interested in making money for themselves....and that

is it...Nurses are considered a TOOL for production of income.

But no body is listening to any of this......so I place alot of nursing

problems on the ANA who are doing what????

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Originally posted by Jenny P

Thanks, Karen, for posting this info here. I'm glad to see that people are interested in this; I wish we could light fires under every nurse to get involved by writing a letter or talking to their legislators AND voting in such a way it helps nurses and health care in this country. Each one of us CAN make a difference if we are committed to do so.

Lighting fires is just what I`m doing! Want to help? P

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Originally posted by Nurse Nevada

Thank you for all the info you posted. It was very helpful to me. I started a petition to try and change the nurse-to-patient ratio in Nevada.

I am also interested to know how Ajack was black-balled. Ajack, if you read this please give a little more detail on what happened. I would like to prepare myself.

Thanks again,

Nurse Nevada

Petition: http://users.lvcm.com/nursingnevada[/url

1/7/03 Note:above link no longer active. Karen

How did you start the petition? P

PS: Here Are The Nevada Standards:

Standard

Nevada Medicaid Services Manual, sec. 502.3

Minimum Hrs ppd Maximum Hrs ppd

Skilled Nursing Level 3 6.00 10.75

Skilled Nursing Level 2 4.00 5.75

Skilled Nursing Level 1 3.00 3.75

Intermediate Care Level 3 2.50 2.75

Intermediate Care Level 2 1.50 1.75

Intermediate Care Level 1 0.75 1.00

Staff Counted in Standard

Direct care does not include: DoN; Assistant DoN; In-service Coordinator; Patient Care Coordinator; Staff Development Coordinator; Ward Clerk; Medical Records Coordinator; Administrative Aide in-training; Orientees; Restorative Aides employed by Therapist; Volunteers; any RNs, LPNs or charge nurses classified as any of the above.

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But, I honestly believe that we need to stand as a large group, in order to "fix" or change the situation. Sometimes, a newspaper ad, an organized march (like the docs do), going on National Public Radio, and/or television. Voices need to be heard..not swept under the rug!!

Until we actively make our VOICES heard, we will continue to work in the environment that we do....because we allow it.

You are absolutely right! I aam doing everything I can to make our voices heard! Would you like to help? P

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Originally posted by wishingmary

I wish Brian, our moderator would put your thread in a permanent listing so that it can always be found in a hurry and when nurses can't sleep at night. I got a comment from one of my classmates regarding all the legislation jt (Jenny) has been telling us about. She told me maybe I found my calling but that she has been so busy. Placency will only let what little we have be lost like giving up our overtime pay and any hope of lowering the nurse-patient ratios. I wish we were as active as the AMA, we would be heard but what is one voice here and one voice there if we each don't write our legislatures. The hand delivery service offered on the net will even e-mail the sender with when their legislators were handed the letter(s).

Hello. I am MSSNURSE, actively involved in attempting to mandate the MSS. I am currently busy with organizing an NFLPN organization in northern Kentucky. Are you an LPN?

Who, exactly, is the "we" you are speaking of? Thanks. P

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Originally posted by NRSKarenRN

Want to learn how to flex your Nursing Muscle to influence legislative activity on the state and federal level or contact your legislators??

Hello, Karen! I am Peglegpeg, AKA MSSNURSE. I just took time to read your post, and I would like to ask you a few questions.

You are an RN - do you belong to a professional nurses` organization? And if so, what are the RN`s doing to promote MSS?

Are you interested in lobbying, grassroots activities, or political action re: the MSS issue? Many thanks. P

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Thanks for sharing the information I am new to site and I was looking around for information on pending legislation. Thanks again.

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Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg.

Great stuff! Thank you and please keep it current. I plan to send my students and colleagues to this site!

Hutchy

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It seems to me that the ANA has some severe problems within

their system. I haven't seen any improvement in working

conditions, staffing, positive public relations...so just who are these people anyway??? Are they like most of the Nurse Managers who seem to forget they used to be a Nurse too...

Every Nurse I know and speak to at work, are almost at the

boiling point....and it seems that no one not even other nurses

care...of course when you work for the largest for profit health

care group in the US....the CEO's and their management teams

are only interested in making money for themselves....and that

is it...Nurses are considered a TOOL for production of income.

But no body is listening to any of this......so I place alot of nursing

problems on the ANA who are doing what????

It boggles the mind how the ANA is so clueless. They still scratch their heads, as to why California, and the other two or three states withdrew from the ANA. And why so few nurses actually belong to the ANA. I am of the opinion that ALL OF THE STATE NURSING ASSOCIATIONS SHOULD WITHDRAW THE ANA, and join the NNOC with the Caifornia Nursing Association.

Maybe when the $$$ from the dues of the state nursing associations is not there, they will get the message. $$$$ is what runs this country, and the ANA. What are they doing with the dues that they collect? They are supposed to be representing US!!!. I know of no other professional organization who so back stabs its members (AMA, PTs, OTs, Pharmacists, etc.). All of the other organizations have their members best interests at heart. They are always legislating for to advance the causes of their members. Not so with the ANA. EVER!!!

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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