Health Care Policy: What do our candidates say about the nursing shortage?

[HuckleB]

Just curious, does any candidate other thand Dean have a plan to help avert the nursing shortage? As a nurse and a sometime patient, I have to say that this stand is definitely fighting for the little guy -- for all of us, really.

Here is Dean's policy statement:

Fast Action To Avert A Nursing Shortage

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=po...

I'm looking forward to a constructive comparison of policy stands on this matter.

[HuckleB]

1. Well, OK, then. Clark addresses it in this speech.

I don't know if he has a policy statement, as of yet. Anyone else know? Any of the others have policy statements, speeches, proposals?

http://clark04.com/speeches/026/

"I saw then that nurses are truly the frontline of our health care system. And studies show that good nursing reduces hospital stays and cuts down on complications. But today, long hours, low wages, and poor working conditions have driven too many of our best nurses out of the profession.

The resulting shortage is nothing less than a health care crisis - a crisis that's only going to get worse in the coming decades. By the year 2020 - just when many of the baby boomers will be needing extra care - 44 states and the District of Columbia expect to have nursing shortages. All told, we're going to have a shortfall of 800,000 nurses. It is very clear that we need to take bold action. And we need to take it now.

First, we've got to take real steps to improve working conditions for our nurses. That means putting an end to mandatory overtime, because it's not just unfair - it's unsafe. It means implementing whistleblower protections, so that nurses can speak out about dangerous conditions without fear of retaliation. And it means instituting a federally-mandated nurse-to-patient ratio. A number of states have done so, and it's high time the federal government did too.

We also need to give our nurses the authority they need to do their jobs. That means fully utilizing our nurse practitioners, especially in underserved areas. And it means ensuring that nurses are involved at all levels of management in our hospitals, especially when it comes to decisions about their working conditions. And if we really want to solve the nursing crisis in the long-term, we've got to do more to support nursing recruitment and education. Funding the Nurse Reinvestment Act to help more people attend nursing school and improve nursing education is a good first step."

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Well, the Massachusetts Nurses Association endorsed Kerry

“The MNA is behind John Kerry because of his strong record and continued commitment and dedication to the nursing profession and patient safety,” said Karen Higgins, President of the MNA. “We have had the honor and distinction to work first hand with him on a myriad of nursing and health care issues over the past several years. In each case, he has been attentive, pro-active and action oriented.”

The MNA highlighted specific actions by Kerry in announcing their endorsement. Kerry personally spent 15 hours with staff and nurses and convinced management to resolve a 102-day nurses strike at Brockton (MA) Hospital. Kerry has also filed legislation that would place strict limits on mandatory overtime for nurses. Kerry sponsored and spearheaded passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act and secured its funding to provide educational and scholarship incentives for those entering the nursing profession. Kerry is also pushing a law to protect health care whistleblowers, calling for enforcement of workplace safety regulations and he supports the rights of health care workers to organize and bargain collectively.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1218b.html

[sandnsea]

3. Nurse Reinvestment Act

Kerry wrote a bill and passed it that gives nurses stipends and college to continue their education.

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/Archives.htm

[HuckleB]

4. Actually, Congresswoman Lois Capps wrote it, and led the way.

Kerry got involved later on, along with Jim Jeffords. I'm still glad he got involved, and helped lead the way in the Senate, but I must tell the full story.