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.
