Updated Political Action Plan

We have accomplished the majority of our political action plan since beginning this blog. Group members educated themselves on the importance of the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act of 2009, and have researched the need of a bill in support of reversing the nursing shortage. On November 2, 2010, group members voted for legislators that they felt would help improve the nursing shortage, and would advocate for bills such as ours.

Group members also reached out to local legislators in the community and throughout the United States to provide awareness of this bill. Each member sent a letter inviting these influential legislators to view our blog, and have received one response from Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. In his response, he expresses his support for the bill and states,

“We must continue to ensure the supply and distribution of qualified nurses to meet our nation's current and future health care needs and provide essential services to individuals in all health care settings.”

“During this year's appropriations process, please be assured of my continued support for efforts to invest increased resources in the Advanced Nursing, Nursing Workforce Diversity, Comprehensive Geriatric Education, and Nurse Education, Practice, and Retention Programs, which complement the Loan Repayment and Scholarship Programs, and expand nursing school capacity, as well as increase patient access to care.”

As a group, we hope to continue to gain the support of other legislators and politically active nurses. We are dedicated to ensuring the success of bills such as the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act of 2009, which has developed a plan to reduce the nursing shortage and increase the number of nurse educators throughout the country. We look forward to following the development of this bill, and will continue to actively participate in the political process.

Contacting Senators

This week we have emailed VA Senator Mark Warner, VA Senator Jim Webb, CA Senator Barbara Boxer, CT Senator Joseph Lieberman, WA Senator Cheryl Pflug, and OK Senator Tom Coburn informing them about our blog, and asking the Senators to view it. We chose each one of these Senators for different reasons. Being from VA we chose both Mark Warner and Jim Webb because they are the state senators.

Senator Mark Warner currently serves VA as a member of the Democratic Party. Although he has not had an active role in the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act, he has an active role in other current health care reform. Part of this involvement includes voting for the recently passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Senator Warner has also been holding town meetings about health care reform. Bringing knowledge to Senator Mark Warner about the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act will hopefully bring light to this issue and inspire him to become involved.

Senator Jim Webb currently serves VA as a representative of the Democratic Party. Senator Webb has had a long line of accomplishments, some of which include: A combat marine in Vietnam, an Attorney, and authoring nine books. He joined the U.S Senate in 2007. Senator Webb is not currently active in the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act; however, he is a supporter of health care reform. Senator Webb’s passion for providing affordable health care for all American’s provides an adjunct to the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act. With his support and strong ties in the Senate, Senator Webb will have great influence on the passing of this Act.

Senator Barbara Boxer of California became a United States Senator in 1993 after 10 years of service in the House of Representatives. Senator Boxer may positively influence the bill, because she introduced her legislation National Nursing Reform and Patient Advocacy Act in May 2009; which helped ease the nursing shortage. Parallel to the Nursing Education, Expansion, and Development Act, Senator Boxer’s legislation would set minimum registered nurse-to-patient ratios in all acute and long term care hospitals across the United States and would invest funds for training new nurses and nurse educators. Our intention is that Senator Boxer will offer advice and support, because her understanding that it is imperative to improve working conditions for nurses and help to grow the numbers of nurse educators.

Senator Joe Lieberman serves as a US senator for the state of Connecticut. He is extremely active in the issues regarding health care reform, and fights to provide affordable healthcare to all; especially vulnerable populations. On February 4, 2009 he voted to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to help ensure that no child would be living in America without health insurance. Senator Lieberman also reintroduced the Healthy Americans Act. This Act would establish a centrally financed system of private health insurance options for all Americans. Senator Lieberman has also cosponsored legislation that would assist small businesses more affordable health care coverage, provide their employees with health care, lower the cost of prescription drugs under Medicare Part D, and provide more options for patients in choosing their long term care. Additionally, Senator Lieberman has also introduced the Nurses’ Higher Education and Loan Repayment Act of 2009 on May 12, 2009. This bill addresses the disconnect in the salaries of nurse educators and clinicians, and provides loan repayment assistance for nurse-educators who are full-time-faculty members of an accredited school of nursing. Senator Lieberman’s dedication to health care reform, and interest in nurses in particular, are two reasons that he would take an interest in this bill.

Senator Cheryl Pflug currently serves for the Republican Party. Due to her past experience as a Registered Nurse, our group believes she may truly understand the importance of this bill. Senator Cheryl Pflug has also worked as a health system adult education teacher. One highlight of her past political activity is supporting higher education for women. She also received the award for Outstanding Effort to Improve Washington Health Care. Our group’s intent is that Senator Pflug’s past efforts in both improving health care and working as a nurse will interest her in taking an active role in the passing of this bill.

Senator Tom Coburn has had experience on both the House of Representatives and the Senate. From this experience our group’s intent is that he may provide advice on ways to politically support this bill. As Senator, he actively supports comprehensive health care reform and the improvement of the quality of patient care. Due to Senator Coburn’s experience as a pro-bono physician he has experience working with nurses and understands the effect nursing care has on the quality of patient care. He serves as a minority Republican member for the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Despite Senator Coburn’s political party relation, he is a close friend of President Barack Obama; showing he can look past political parties.

We hope to see some of the Senators we have contacted become followers of our blog, and to hear their position on the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act, as well as other relevant nursing issues.

Current Status of the Act

The last action for the Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act was February 26, 2009 when it was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The current media on health care reform has highlighted the medical field. By contacting these Senators, our group hopes that this Act will once again bring attention to the shortage of nursing educators, and eventually pass into law.