S. 1031 was introduced by California senator Barbara Boxer (D). According to her campaign website, Boxer has made the following efforts to expanding the health care worforce:
- “Senator Boxer wrote legislation to require that hospitals have enough nurses to ensure proper care.
- She is also the author of a bill to ensure that health care workers are prepared to meet the health care needs of a growing population of older Americans by paying off the student loans of health care workers who agree to serve seniors.
- She cosponsored bills to provide scholarships to health care professionals who agree to serve in rural and other medically underserved areas and who agree to work in public health agencies – and to provide student loan relief to mental health care providers who agree to treat children.
- Senator Boxer has cosponsored legislation to expand community health centers and recruit more health care providers through the National Health Services Corps.
- She has cosponsored legislation to recruit more dental professionals, to strengthen the faculty in nursing schools, and to create more nursing education programs. “ –www.barbaraboxer.com
Several lobbying groups have already voiced support of Boxer’s bill, including National Nurses United (NNU), a group founded by California Nurses Association and Massachusetts Nurses Association. The group is the largest union of RN’s in American history and has affiliates in 12 states and the District of Columbia. NNU marched on Capitol Hill in support of this bill on May 11, 2009, three days prior to its introduction to the senate (http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/97077-nurses-lobby-to-expand-ranks).
Information about this group, as well as instructions for joining, can be accessed at http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/.
As the election fast approaches, the first step in supporting this bill is to educate yourself about the candidates up for election in your state and voting for candidates who are likely to support this bill. Visit their websites and websites that show their voting records, such as votesmart.org. Be aware that most sources on the internet are biased.
We all know that a group can accomplish more than an individual. If you are passionate about supporting this bill and other nursing-related legislation, join a nursing organization that participates in lobbying, such as NNU or your states Nursing Association. If you are already a member of an RN organization, bring this bill to the attention of your fellow members. Is the group already doing something to support this bill? How can you encourage the group to support the bill? Take initiative!
What strikes me the most about this post is Barbara Boxer's initiative to promote areas of nursing care that desperately need attention. We have learned how the mental health field has been an area lacking proper attention and compassion in the nursing field. Financial aid and relief is definitely a great incentive to encourage people to further their education so when they enter the mental health facilities they are extremely well educated and prepared. She also supports caring for senior citizens and working in rural areas using these incentives. Many people leave nursing school thinking of big hospitals in urban areas or smaller hospitals closer to home. Not many leave and go to nursing homes or rural areas. I think these promotions will really bring a strong force of new nurses to these areas that need attention.
ReplyDeleteI think that this bill is something that we as nurses should all be supporting because of the positive potential for positive outcomes. Not only does this bill push for high nurse-patient ratios but it also grants money to safe handling equipment, nursing faculty salary increases, and gives more rights to nurses. I almost feel that this bill is better in some respects than others because it addresses lots of concerning issues rather than just one. Realistically, if there was safer equipment and nurse patient ratios were reasonable, I feel that a lot of problems, not all, would have been sufficiently addressed. With this in mind, learning about these bills through this assignment puts into perspective how important it is to become politically active and push for passing legislation. As cliché as this may sound, I’ve always felt that my opinion is just one in a billion in this world, and I know that others who are shy or not as strong willed have the same view. As a result encouraging them to be politically active should be a cornerstone in nursing. So far, I have been exposed to lists of contacts to forward my complaints to such as state representatives, senate members, nursing organizations and many others that are at my fingertips.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments! I agree with Hannah that until now, I also felt as though my opinion would not be heard. But this blog has showed me that at the very least we can easily educate our friends, peers, and co-workers about important nursing legislation and make an impact. In addition, contacting legislators and other key stakeholders was much easier than I imagined. These simple steps are a great start to becoming more politically active and making your voice heard. The nursing shortage is a huge problem which must be addressed, and is one that will most likely influence each one of us as we begin our nursing career. I feel that it is crucial that we fight for an issue that will not only affect our personal career satisfaction, but also the well-being of our future patients.
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