"When nurses speak Washington listens"

[NGYSUN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hi fellow nurses,

I don't know how many of us got this message from ANA. However, I know many if not all of us have been affected by staffing issues in most states of the U.S. My work place is continuously going thru staffing woes.. :-(

So I copied 'unpersonal' parts of my email and I'm pasting it below...Feel free to share with your friends and colleagues....

""Dear ______,

As you are reading this, hundreds of nurses from across the country are meeting with members of Congress at ANA's Lobby Day.

While we're in their offices, our message becomes much more powerful if their phones are ringing off the hook from nurses from their home state.

Can you help?

Call your Senators and your Representative right now and tell them to co-sponsor the Safe Staffing bill – one of the most crucial pieces of legislation we are talking about this year.

The number to call Congress is [phone]. Simply tell them what state you're calling from, and ask to be connected to one of your legislator's offices (it doesn't matter which one you start with.)

Then, when your lawmaker's office staff pick up, give them this message:

"My name is ______ from _____ City. I'm a registered nurse, and I wanted to let you know I am paying attention to what Congress does this year to make sure that nurses have the staffing support they need to take care of patients. I'd like you to co-sponsor the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act. In the House it is bill number H.R. 2083 and in the Senate S. 1132".

Thank them, hang up, and call again to be connected to your other legislators, then give them the same message.

That's it! Once you're done, just click the button below to let us know that you made the calls:

This is a key time in the legislative session with the August recess coming up.

Momentum is on our side, but time is not – so it's more important than ever that our legislators hear from all of us about how critical our agenda is for healthcare workers and patients alike.

With nurses on the ground on Capitol Hill right now, and supporters like you dialing in all day today, Congress will have to listen.

Thank you,

Michelle Artz, ANA..."""

............

I know WE Can Make This Call....Feel free to share with your friends and colleagues....

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

I think it is silly to do so much lobbying for a bill that only provides a committee.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2083/text

There are companion bills that would truly improve staffing and save lives.They probably won't get out of committee this session. I truly believe safe staffing ratios will become law. But it will take a struggle. People need to be educated to how it will help them and their loved ones is they are hospitalized.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s864/text

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1602/text

Just making phone calls won't be enough. Nurses will have to work together.

Two decades ago nurses in California volunteered to be "Legislative Liaisons. We met with the staff of each and every state legislator. We offered to answer any question they had as well as explaining why safe nurse staffing was needed to save lives.

I was asked to explain aa Foley catheter to a staff member of my state assembly member.

We never know when most people will be ready to work for safe staffing.

I think when that happens it must be a law with ratios that will actually do something.

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