Please Tell Us If You Are Contacting Legislators/ANA, etc. Re: Nursing Concerns

BethanyJ · Apr 27, 1999

I am certain the legislative ears are out there listening to us so please continue to post your letters and emails to them. I could not help but notice that nothing was mentioned in my letter re: Staffing issues. I am convinced that until the legislation steps in with restrictions and mandates, that our employers will continue the present staffing trends. I will reply with a thanks for the concern re managed care and mention that we are still concerned about staffing and patient safety within health care facilities. Hopefully, you will all continue with your efforts. Thanks!

Sophie · May 1, 1999

Hello! It's been a while since my last post, sorry. For those concerned with short-staffing, be aware that if you live in Calif., there is a state assembly bill - AB394- that is written to specifically deal with placing appropriate staffing standards into law. It would help eliminate your administration's ability to work around the existing staffing rules. Please call the author of the bill, Sheila Kuehl at 916-319-2041, or write her at State Capitol,PO Box 942849, Room 3013, Sacramento, Ca. 94249-0001. This is a constructive thing we can do to work within the framework of the established system, instead of just discussing anecdotes (although this is healthy to vent!). As for errors that are made in relation to short-staffing, keep DOCUMENTING! Report any sentinel events to your Performance Improvement Chairperson. Remember, the Dept. of Health and that JCAHO needs to know about these issues, and the more reports and "squeaky wheels' they hear from , the better. Sophie

[This message has been edited by Sophie (edited May 01, 1999).]

barton · May 1, 1999

Sophie,

Thanks for the info--I just posted under another topic, asking you for it!

Miss RNC · May 11, 1999

I emailed my senators and governor of Mississippi this past weekend. I am anxiously waiting for a reply. I enclosed a link to this board and a copy of the proposed California bill. I will keep everyone posted... Lets not give up!

barton · May 11, 1999

Miss RNC,

Good for you!----and I hope all of us are sending this California bill to our reps!!??

Origcyn13 · May 18, 1999

Hi all, For those I have not yacked at, I did get a reply to my letter to the admin. He totally avoided the staffing issue. I am in the process of typing it into word so I can share it with you all. I also have started circulating the Calif. bill around two facilities here in KC. I am collecting signatures on them and will foreward them to the senators when we get enough signatures. Just an update on what I am up to.... gotta run!!

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Cyn...stiring the mix

Joe,RN · May 18, 1999

Hey Rae, thanks for the post. There are ways to deal with these issues. Legislation is just one of them. We are in the midst of starting a column that will be published on a web type magazine forum. Your story is one of many that we will relate to the people that come. It is at www.hospitalhub.com. If you wish to submit an article with more detail? Let either me or Barton know. We started out as a small group of concerned nurses, but our numbers are increasing almost daily! Welcome aboard!

barton · May 18, 1999

Rae,

Please let me join Joe in asking if you would write about your situation for our column. We DO NOT include any names that you wish deleted, and of course we DO NOT break confidentiality. We ask that anyone who writes about specific situations at their workplace do so in an objective fashion, and if patient care is negatively affected due to understaffing, we would like to print as many of these stories as possible to make legislators, administrators and the public aware of these dangers. After reading the many posts on different BB's, it seems quite clear to me that severe understaffing is a NATIONWIDE problem. As Joe said, our group started small but in just two months time we have grown considerably, and we have nurses from different states and different backgrounds writing for the column. The primary goal of this column is to return staffing to levels that allow us to provide the best possible bedside nursing care for our patients. So............Rae, and anyone else who is WILLING TO HELP, PLEASE contact Joe or me!

Thanks,

barton

P.S.--Rae, I also live in a right-to-work state---Florida.

Rae · May 19, 1999

I just found this subject. I live in Arizona. I have never had to work under such dangerous, unsafe conditions in my nursing career. Med-surg nurses are taking 7-8 pts with no ancillary help, Telemetry takes 5-6, ICU takes 3 often times 2 vent pts, PACU is holding pts for hours to get a bed, ER takes 5-7 high acuity pts waiting for beds, and in all areas the norm is for the Charge nurse to take pts also. Infection rates are increasing, falls are on the rise, bedsores are developing. I will join the ranks of writing to legislators, but unfortunately with Arizona being a right to work state, I'm afraid it will fall on deaf ears. Hospital administration does not have to have a reason to fire and in the past when someone has tried to be pro-active, the hospital has "found" reasons to terminate. Administration is blind to the fact that there is a nursing shortage and will continue to fire and hire those who will not rock the boat(hiring by making special offers to sign-on). Our population in the Phoenix area is largely elderly. I know that the AARP are strong lobbyests and will probably be my first contact to make them aware of the unsafe conditions in this areas hospitals.

mike moeslein · May 22, 1999

While its nice to call your representatives and our nursing organizations, I don't think its going to help. Only a cry from the public will do any good. They only listen when their next election is on the line. Lets put them on the spot. There is a site set up just for stories to be told. Visit www.geocities.com/hotsprings/oasis/4313.

barton · May 22, 1999

Mike,

Please see my post to you under your topic, "RN Sound off".......

Barton

barton · May 23, 1999

Mike,

Thanks! I look forward to it!

Now what about the rest of you? So many of us here have written to legislators and others and now we can go one giant step forward-----PLEASE JOIN US!!

barton

[This message has been edited by barton (edited May 22, 1999).]