The Lobbyist

Influencing the Future of Nursing

As we embrace a future of ultra modern healthcare and technology, nurses and nursing are not coping enough with the demands of these two callers of change. We have allowed ourselves to fall asleep like a big giant unknowing of the great things only we can change.

The nursing shortage will last forever. We have to make some changes within the nursing infrastructure if we have to resolve this issue. It is just but one and major change that we can do if we have to influence the future of nursing and its practice to meet the needs of the 21st century. This is the purpose of this section: to encourage lobbying for legislative changes that can change nursing and the way we practice it.

OPEN your Door to a Census Taker/How do you Recognize a Census Taker

=====================================

Warmest regards,

Venghan (Winnie) Tang
Partnership Specialist
Team Leader
Florida Asian Community Team
Partnership and Data Services Program
US Census Bureau - Atlanta Regional Census Center
P: 305-975-6445
E: venghan.tang@census.gov

2010 Census: IT'S IN OUR HANDS
- April 1, 2010

www.census.gov/2010census

HR 4601 The National Nurse Act of 2010

On February 4, 2010, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) introduced HR 4601, The National Nurse Act of 2010 into the second session of the 111th Congress. This legislation encompasses the major components of the Office of the National Nurse.

This legislation would designate the Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Public Health

Services as the "National Nurse" to elevate the authority and visibility of that office.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, obesity, and others pose the single greatest

threat to the health of Americans and the nation's economy. Nurses provide key services

for the prevention and management of these conditions and this legislation is necessary

to support further work needed to promote prevention, improve outcomes, and guide

national, state and local efforts in addressing the nation's health.

This is the ideal time to make the Office of the National Nurse a reality. The current

administration and Congress have a clear commitment to wellness promotion and illness

prevention. There is convincing evidence that American health-care reform can be

dramatically advanced by deploying the greatest and most trusted national health

resource, America's nurses. Establishing the Office of the National Nurse would be a

practical first step in publicly acknowledging the need for a focus on wellness and

prevention. This legislation would provide the nation with a trusted professional

representative from nursing to kickoff the move to prevention in any kind of healthcare

system America will have.

The National Nurse would provide a visible nurse leader to advocate for enhanced

prevention efforts for all communities, a representative who would meet with health care leaders to determine ways to address continued health disparities and poor health literacy.

Nurses as organizations and individuals, should support this legislation as a means to achieve the goals of better health, decreased health disparity and improved health literacy.

The National Nursing Network Organization is planning to travel to Washington DC in March to lobby for this bill.

Source: National Nursing Network Organization

Editorial

“NURSES BUILDING A HEALTHY AMERICA”

Antonio B. Jayoma, RN, MSPHN, MBA, CCRN

Associate Editor

Sometimes, nurses find themselves unaware or misinformed on the relevant professional issues that are affecting them or yet to affect them personally and in delivery of health care. Recent stem cell research developments and health care reforms are sample topics that nurses tend to be oblivious about.

Last year’s theme for Nurses Week Celebrations say, “Nurses Building a Healthy America”. It is a topic that the American Nurses Association (ANA) had talked about extensively and endorsed significantly, including the status of the current nursing shortage (www.nursingworld.org/).

But what does that mean to us as health care providers? We believe that, as nurses, we can build a healthy American society. We have the capacity to propel our profession towards that direction. If it means that we have to go back to the basic tenet of health care and health care delivery, then so be it. More emphasis will be placed on primary health care. It is a kind of health care that everyone has an access to it. It is where the community and other health-related sectors are encouraged to participate. Utilization of appropriate and cost-effective methods of delivery is deemed necessary and health care thrusts are geared towards health promotion and prevention of diseases or illnesses (www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/health/chapter8.pdf).

The theme realistically coincides with the current financial struggles in our society. This is the best one suited for nurses to think about. Everybody knows that while budget cutbacks are common now, resources will eventually be scarce. But nurses are known to be resilient when necessary. They can be creative, resourceful, and innovative in delivery of health care as long as they are meeting goals and expectations safely and satisfactorily.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland states that while innovation is central to maintaining and improving quality of care, nurses are expected to be flexible with the constant changes and challenges they are facing in health care.

What's New.......

PNAA Inducts Officers 2010-2012

A Press Release

Evidence-Based & More

This Month

Frequently Asked Questions

Nurses Photos in Full Color

Nursing Chronicles

The Lobbyist

HR 4601 The National Nurse Act of 2010

Editorial