PSNA Legislative & News Update

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

From PSNA (PA State Nurses Association)http://www.psna.org

Dailey Introduces Three Nursing Related Bills

Representative Mary Anne Dailey (R-146) has introduced three bills of great significance to nursing: HB 1845 addresses delegation of tasks to UAPs; HB 1846 provides whistleblower protection for health care professionals; HB 1847 would amend a law directing the HC4 to collect and disseminate quality indicators.

While these bills have been submitted and given bill numbers, they have not yet been referred to a committee. During the summer legislative recess, Rep. Dailey will hold the following three hearings regarding these bills, nurses are encouraged to attend to learn more about the legislation and to support the profession:

July 27, 2001

Montgomery County Comm College

August 8, 2001

University of Pittsburgh

October 10, 2001

State Capitol

More information on Rep. Dailey's Legislation...

http://www.psna.org/HotIssues/Dailey3.htm

Online Registry of Licensed Professionals Up and Running in PA

The Ridge administration announced on July 18 the launch of a state-of-the art licensing system--accessible through Pennsylvania's PA PowerPort--that provides consumers with access to information on nearly 1 million businness, health and real-estate

professionals licensed in Pennsylvania.

With the click of a mouse, visitors to the site can verify the licensure status of professionals and businesses regulated by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, including the PA State Board of Nursing.

Later this year, the system will be expanded to provide Pennsylvania licensees the ability to start the application process or renew an existing license. Read entire press release...

http://www.psna.org/HotIssues/registry.htm

If You Haven't, Please Fill Out ANA's Survey

According to the ListServ activity report only 19 subscribers clicked on the ANA survey link. PSNA can do better than that, let's try and have the most nurses that fill out the survey from Pennsylvania! The more nurses from PA who fill out the survey

the better. This will help PSNA, as we will be able to use the data and distribute it to local media and spread awareness of this issue.

The focus of the current ANA Health & Safety Online Survey is to poll nurses nationwide on the health and safety conditions in their health care facilities. The Online Survey is being conducted until mid-August.

The Online Survey takes approximately five minutes to complete and each participant can enter the drawing for a NursingWorld.org polo shirt or a copy of the ANA Workplace Health and Safety Guide for Nurses. Pass the survey link on to other nurses!

Participate now...

http://www.nursingworld.org/mainsurvey/index.cfmsid=2200

Questions Sought for Sec. of Health Research

This past week many District 16 members attended a legislative breakfast given by Rep. Barley with the Sec of Health, Robert Zimmerman, to discuss nursing issues. Rep. Barley and Sec. of Health Zimmerman did a brief presentation and then asked for

questions and suggestions for resolving various issues within the nursing profession. What came out the breakfast meeting was not only the nursing issues of safe hours, safe environment, safe staffing and providing quality care to patients, but also the

fragmentation of health services which tends to cause the above. Sec. of Health Zimmerman would like for nurses to come up with a research question to address the above problems. One that a task force, which he is going to organize, could address. These

research questions are to be sent to his attention via Fax at 717-787-0191 or emailed to his Chief of Staff at [email protected].

Social Security Press Conference and Rally Scheduled

The Citizens for Consumer Justice, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans, and the Action Alliance of Senior Citizens will hold a rally and news conference on Monday, July 23, 2001 at the Mayor's Reception Room in City Hall, Philadelphia. The agenda will focus on social security.

Members of congress who are expected to attend include: Borski, Brady, Fattah, and Hoeffel. If you would like more information or plan to attend contact Alisa at 215-569-8220.

Celebrate Nursing's Best News

Watch your mail! Registration brochures for the 98th Annual Summit were mailed to all PSNA members on July 19. You can't miss it, it is orange and purple! If you would like to request additional brochures for colleagues, students, or friends please

e-mail [email protected].

[oramar]

Right in the middle of this news post is an article that says that says something about license information being availiable over the interenet. I do not like that idea. Especially if my address is availiable also. How do I get more info about this?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Oramar:

This is the link for PA license verification.

http://licensepa.state.pa.us/

You can search by name or license #. Info listed is: name, town, state, date of initial licensure, date last license application, date of renewel and if any restricions. Wheh, checked mine it is clean.

i had previously checked NJ --it gave complet address which is a problem.

RE licenses:

In home care, ALL physicans must have their licences verified as current PRIOR to a patient being seen per JCAHO which our clerks did when a new dr data entered into the system and yearly---now we are told quarterly checks needed.

One of our nursing agencies had to pay a fine to medicare--we had checked aand license current-found we must ALSO verify that Dr has No MEDICARE/MEDICAID sanctions against them (DR had been banned from Medicare due to fradulent claims). So powers are taking it very seriously that we have active, unencumbered license.

[oramar]

A paranoid person could not but help but think that this amt. of info would really be helpful to a stalker or abusive boyfriend. There should be no birthdate and no town listed. I have already started to complain. The birthday could be used for age discrimination or as part of an identity theft scam. I am glad you posted this because I might have found it the hard way.