Governmental Affairs Update

August - December 2004

Gena Near, BSN, RN, CPAN

Governmental Affairs Committee Chair

 

ANSR Update

 

  • Held a successful congressional briefing  in September 2 days after the long August recess

    • The event attracted Hill staff from the Senate and House, nurses from the community, representatives from ANSR organizations (ASPAN sponsored the event), and nurses that work in a variety of federal agencies and the military

    • There were over 100 people present

    • The message of the need for adequately prepared faculty and the numbers of students that were unable to enter programs as a result came through loud and clear

    • The speakers worked hard to reinforce the need for funding this important aspect of Title VIII

    • There were 4 reporters present

  • ASPAN signed onto a letter supporting H.R. 4231, the “Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse Recruitment and Retention Act of 2004”

    • Senator Mikulski’s office inquired whether or not the ANSR Alliance had taken a position on the bill and it is a testament to the work of this group that the Hill wants to know where we stand

  • As a result of our conference call on October 21, we are proceeding with plans for an ANSR congressional reception to welcome new and old Members of Congress and their Health Legislative Assistants

    • This reception will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 in the Cannon House Office Building from 5:30 to 7:30 PM (I plan to represent ASPAN there)

    • ASPAN will be listed in the program

    • ANSR will be presenting their first ANSR Alliance Public Service Award:

      • This award honors on a nonpartisan basis deserving congressional leaders who contribute to the advancement of nursing and/or health care in the US

    • Plans are for a 2 hour evening reception for approximately 250 people

  • On November 18 a number of ANSR organizations met via conference call to discuss the FY 2006 nursing appropriations funding request with a number of the APRN groups (all of which are ANSR organizations)

    • During the course of the discussion, the groups on the call all agreed that their organizations were interested in pursing an adjusted $205 million for the FY 2006 appropriations funding level

    • The inflation factor that was agreed to by the groups was health care inflation, which is reported at 7.3% by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)

    • This would be a $220 million funding level

    • There was some discussion about COLA (cost of living adjustment inflation factor) that the Federal government uses for its Federal employee salaries—for FY 2006 this rate is 3.5% which would provide a $212 funding level

    • The groups on the call support the $220 level

  • On November 29 a conference call  was held among a number of nursing organizations to discuss the FY 2006 nursing education appropriations number

    • The consensus on this call was for the nursing community to promote $210 million for the FY 2006 appropriations request

  • The next conference call  is planned for January 6 to discuss the following:

    • ANSR FY 2006 appropriations amount

    • ANSR letter re appropriations testimony

    • ANSR reception

    • ANSR consensus statement review for 109th Congress

 

ON THE HILL

 

  • The following House Members of the 108th Congress have announced plans not to return for the 109th Congress:

    • Resigned:

      • Frank Balance (D-NC)

      • Doug Bereuter (R-Neb)

      • Larry Combest (R-TX)

      • Ernie Fletcher (R-KY)

      • Bill Janklow (R-SD)

    • Running for Senate:

      • Richard Burr (R-NC)

      • Brad Carson (D-OK)

      • Jim DeMint (R-SC)

      • Peter Deutsch (D-FL)

      • Joe Hoeffel (D-PA)

      • Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

      • Chris John (D-LA)

      • Denise Majette (D-GA)

      • George Nethercutt (R-WA)

      • David Vitter (R-LA)

 

    • Retiring:

      • Cass Ballenger (R-NC)

      • Cal Dooley (D-CA)

      • Jennifer Dunn (R-WA)

      • Richard Gephardt (D-MO)

      • Porter Goss (R-FL)

      • James Greenwood (R-PA)

      • Amo Houghton (R-NY)

      • Jerry Kleczka (D-WI)

      • Bill Lipinski (D-IL)

      • Ken Lucas (D-KY)

      • Karen McCarthy (D-MO)

      • Scott McInnis (R-CO)

      • Doug Ose (R-CA)

      • Jack Quinn (R-NY)

      • Nick Smith (R-MI)

      • Billy Tauzin (R-LA)

      • Jim Turner (D-TX)

    • Defeated in Primary:

      • Chris Bell (D-TX)

      • Mac Collins (R-GA)

      • Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX)

      • Pat Toomey (R-PA)

  • The following Senate Members:

    • Running for Other Office:

      • John Edwards (D-NC)

    • Retiring:

      • John Breaux (D-LA)

      • Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO)

      • Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL)

      • Bob Graham (D-FL)

      • Fritz Hollings (D-SC)

      • Zell Miller (D-GA)

      • Don Nickles (R-OK)

  • www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/washhigh

 

2004 ELECTION OVERVIEW

 

  • The US will remain in Republican control

  • In addition to President Bush gaining a second term, the GOP increased their advantage in both the Senate and House

  • In the Senate, Republicans picked up 6 new seats and lost 2, and will hold a 55 to 44 margin, with one Independent, in the 109th Congress

  • Republicans picked up 4 more seats in the House to hold a 231 to 201 margin, with one Independent and 3 seats undecided

  • The 109th Congress will have 3 new physicians:

    • Senator-elect Tom Coburn (R-OK), a family physician

    • Representative-elect Tom Price (R-GA), a surgeon

    • Representative-elect Joe Schwarz (R-MI), an otolaryngologist

    • This brings the total number of physicians in Congress to 11

  • The Senate has 9 new members:

    • Republicans:

      • Richard Burr (NC)

      • Tom Coburn (OK)

      • Jim DeMint (SC)

      • Johnny Isakson (GA)

      • Mel Martinez (FL)

      • John Thune (SD)

      • David Vitter (LA)

    • Democrats:

      • Barack Obama (IL)

      • Ken Salazar (CO)

  • 6 of the new Senators have experience in the House:

    • Burr

    • DeMint

    • Isakson

    • Vitter

    • Coburn

    • Thune

  • Term limits that Republicans imposed on themselves in 1997 and revised last year mean that at least 8 Senate committees will get new leaders:

    • Thad Cochran (R-Miss) is slated to take over Appropriations Committee from Ted Stevens (R-AL), who will move to chair the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

    • Larry Craig (R-ID) will chair the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which is currently led by Arlen Specter (R-PA), who is in line to take over the Judiciary Committee

    • Retiring Budget Committee Chair Don Nickles (R-OK) is likely to be replaced by either Judd Gregg (R-NH) or Wayne Allard (R-CO)

    • If Senator Gregg takes over Budget, he may be replaced as Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee by Michael Enzi (R-WY), who is next in line behind Gregg and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN)

  • In the House, Appropriations Committee Chair C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) is term limited, and will be succeeded by one of three current subcommittee chairs:

    • Ralph Regula (R-OH)

    • Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

    • Harold Rogers (R-KY)

  • James Walsh (R-NY) also must give up his chairmanship of the House VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee

  • Both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee will lose key members:

    • Energy and Commerce loses:

      • Representative Burr

      • Former committee chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA)

      • Jim Greenwood (R-PA)

      • Peter Deutsch (D-FL)

      • Chris John (D-LA)

      • Karen McCarthy (D-MO)

  • Representatives Burr, Greenwood, and  John were members of the Health Subcommittee

  • The Ways and Means Committee loses the number two Republican on the committee, Phil Crane (IL) , as well as Michael Collins (R-GA), Jennifer Dunn (R-WA), Amo Houghton (R-NY), Scott McInnis (R-CO), Jerry Kleczka (D-WI), and Max Sandlin (D-TX)

  • Representatives Crane, Dunn, and Kleczka served on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee

  • www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/washhigh

  • There was reelection of 3 nurses to the House of Representatives:

    • Eddie Bernice Johnson, RN (D-TX)

    • Carolyn McCarthy, LPN (D-NY)

    • Lois Capps, RN (D-CA)

  • Key races were won in the Senate who have a strong background in promoting health care and nursing issues:

    • Ken Salazar (D-CO)

    • Barack Obama (D-IL)

    • Arlen Specter (R-PA)

    • Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) (strong supporter of increased funding for nursing workforce development programs)

  • Numerous proponents of health care also were elected to the House and include:

    • Dennis Moore (D-KS) (husband of ANA member Stephene Moore)

    • Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)

    • Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

    • John Salazar (D-CO) (brother of Ken Salazar)

  • www.nursingworld.org

  • President Bush will submit his FY 2006 budget to Congress in February 2005

  • Some of the health issues likely to arise in the 109th Congress:

    • Medicare

    • Medical Malpractice

    • Prescription Drug Importation

    • Stem Cell Research

    • Coverage of the Uninsured

    • Medicaid Reform

    • Patient Safety

    • Health Information Technology

    • Telehealth

    • FDA Regulation of Tobacco

 

 

 

 

 

“EARLY OFFERS” PILOT PROGRAM TO SPEED COMPENSATION TO INJURED PATIENTS, HELP REDUCE MEDICAL COSTS

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced on September 21 an “Early Offers” pilot program aimed at encouraging settlements of patients claiming to have been  injured by medical mistakes and controlling health care costs by providing fair and prompt compensation without time-consuming and expensive litigation

  • Secretary Thompson said the program is another way to combat the medical liability crisis that is contributing to the rising cost of health care and driving doctors out of their practices

  • The Secretary said the initiative could serve as a national model for resolving medical liability cases in a more efficient manner

  • The early offers pilot program applies to claims made against the Department of Health and Human Services by patients who are treated by employees of federally funded community health centers overseen by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration or by patients who receive service through Indian Health Service (HIS) programs—participation by any injured patient is voluntary

  • www.hhs.gov

 

GRANTS.GOV REACHES 1,000 APPLICATIONS MARK

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced on September 17 that “Grants.gov,” the single secure Web site to find and apply for US Government grants, has received its 1,000th electronic grant application, a milestone indicating the shift from a slower, paper-based grant application process is well underway

  • Managed by HHS, Grants.gov is 1 of 24 E-government initiatives operating under the governance of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and is 1 of only 2 E-government initiatives to successfully meet OMB’s operational goals earlier this year

  • The award-winning, free Web site centralizes grant information and electronic applications for more than 900 grant programs from all 26 federal grant-making agencies, making it easier to find and apply for over $360 billion in annual grant funds available across the federal government

  • User satisfaction is driving the site’s growth—more than 1,000 grant applicants chose Grants.gov over a paper-based grant application process

  • Federal agencies are currently posting nearly 1,400 active grant opportunities, which are accessible through the Grants.gov “Find Grant Opportunities” feature

    • More than 60% of the agencies are accepting electronic applications through the site’s “Apply for Grants” feature

    • The remaining agencies plan to add this capability by the end of the year

  • Grants.gov is the single Web site unifying federal grants—through this site, state, local, and tribal governments, colleges and universities, non-profits, research institutions, and other organizations can access, find, and apply for grants from more than 900 grant programs representing over $360 billion in annual grant funds offered by the 26 federal grant-making agencies

  • Grants.gov is a collaborative effort led by HHS

  • Collaborative partners include: Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor and Transportation, Environmental Protection  Agency, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Science Foundation

  • www.grants.gov

  • www.hhs.gov

 

DRUG DISCOUNT CARDS

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced on September 22 that nearly 2 million low-income Americans on Medicare will soon be automatically eligible for prescription discounts through the Medicare Drug Discount card and qualify for an additional $1,200 in savings over the next 14 months

  • Letters  will go to people who receive state help to pay Medicare premiums in what are known as Medicare Savings Programs (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary, and Qualifying Individual)

  • The potential credit is $600 per year between now and the end of 2005

  • Any portion of the credit that is unused at the end of 2004 can be carried over into 2005

  • Beneficiaries needed to sign up by December 31, 2004 to be eligible for the credit

  • Beneficiaries who received letters can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov to see if their favorite pharmacy  takes the card they received and what discounts are available on the drugs they take

  • Medicare beneficiaries who do not receive prescription drug coverage through Medicaid are eligible for a Medicare-approved drug discount card

  • In addition, Medicare beneficiaries whose annual incomes are below $12,569 for singles and $16,862 for married couples are eligible for the $600 credit

  • www.hhs.gov

 

HHS ANNOUNCES REGIONS TO ADMINISTER NEW MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT AND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM

 

  • On December 6 HHS (Health  and Human Services) Secretary Thompson announced that Medicare is taking another step in bringing more choices, better benefits, and more savings to millions of Medicare beneficiaries by establishing the regions for prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage  Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) health plans beginning in 2006

  • To help ensure that all Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to take advantage of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established 26 regions for Medicare Advantage Preferred Provider Organizations and 34 regions for prescription drug plans

  • Beginning in 2006, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to receive drug coverage through a prescription drug plan, if they wish to remain in traditional fee-for-service Medicare, or through a Medicare health plan

  • In either case, Medicare pays about 75% of the beneficiary’s premium

  • Beneficiaries who are enrolled in an employer-sponsored plan will be able to remain in that plan if they wish

  • CMS considered the following factors in setting up Medicare Advantage regions:

    • Eligible Population

    • Plan Entrants

    • Limited Cost Variations

    • Preserving current Medicare patient flows

  • Many of the same factors went into defining Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) regions

  • www.hhs.gov

 

BIODEFENSE CONTRACTS FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced on October 7 four new contracts totaling more than $232 million to fund development of new vaccines against 3 potential agents of bioterrorism:

    • Smallpox

    • Plague

    • Tularemia

  • The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will administer the contracts

  • The smallpox awards continue advanced development work that  began in February 2003 on 2 modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine candidates

    • These contracts will support larger scale manufacturing of the vaccines as well as further safety and effectiveness studies in animals and humans

  • The tularemia and plague awards will fund early-stage product development of the respective vaccines, which will include dosage formulation, pilot batch production, and initial clinical assessment

  • All 4 contracts are for purchases of vaccine lots intended for research use

  • Any future purchases of additional vaccines for stockpiling in the event of an emergency will depend on the results of the research currently underway

  • NIAID awarded 2 contracts totaling up to $177 million for advanced development of MVA vaccines against smallpox

  • The 3-year contracts were awarded to Bavarian Nordic A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Acambis, Inc, of Cambridge, MA, and Cambridge, England

  • MVA is a highly weakened form of the vaccinia virus that cannot replicate in human cells

  • For the plague vaccine, NIAID awarded a contract to Avecia Biotechnology, Ltd, of Manchester, England

    • The 3-year, $50.7 million contract covers the manufacture of a new plague vaccine as well as animal testing and initial human trials

    • There is currently no licensed plague vaccine, and the pneumonic form of the disease (which affects the lungs and can spread from person to person through the air) is nearly always fatal unless antibiotic treatment is started within 24 hours of infection

  • NIAID also modified an existing contract with DynPort Vaccine Company LLC of Frederick, MD, to include the manufacture of a pilot batch of live, attenuated tularemia vaccine

    • The 3-year, $4.5 million contract modification also covers stability testing of the vaccine

    • Tularemia is a highly infectious bacterial disease most often transmitted by ticks and insects

    • In humans, illness is characterized by intermittent fever, headache, and swelling of the lymph nodes

    • This live, attenuated vaccine contains a weakened form of the tularemia bacterium, enabling the immune system to recognize and produce neutralizing antibodies against the bacterium if it is encountered again

  • NIAID is a component of NIH

  • NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, and illness from potential agents of bioterrorism

  • NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma, and allergies

  • www.hhs.gov

 

JCR PUBLISHES GUIDES TO IMPROVING PATIENT CARE

 

  • On December 6, 2004 Joint Commission Resources (JCR) announced the publication of 2 new books to help hospitals provide safe, high quality care:

    • Issues in Provision of Care, Treatment, and Services for Hospitals

    • Issues in Human Resources for Hospitals

  • Other JCR books:

    • Overcoming Performance Measurement Challenges for Hospitals

    • Cost-Effective Performance Improvement in Hospitals

    • Meeting JCAHO’s Infection Control Requirements:  A Priority Focus Area

    • Infection Control Issues in the Environment of Care

  • To order:  877-223-6866 or www.jcrinc.com

  • www.jcaho.org

 

 

US PLEDGES 20 MILLION DOSES OF SMALLPOX VACCINE TO GLOBAL STOCKPILE

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced that the US is pledging 20 million doses of smallpox vaccine to the global stockpile managed by the World Health Organization (WHO)

  • The US is by far the largest contribution to date to the global stockpile

  • Canada, France, Germany, and the UK have made pledges to the stockpile

  • At a 2003 Ministerial Meeting of the Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI), the US encouraged its international partners to develop the WHO  Smallpox Vaccine Bank, which would consist of a physical stockpile in Geneva and a virtual global stockpile of pledged vaccine stocks from around the world

  • This vaccine stockpile could quickly dispatch vaccine to any country that might be experiencing an outbreak of smallpox

  • Founded after 9-11-01, the GHSI brings together the health ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and the US plus the Health Commissioner of the European Union and the Director-General of the WHO—it was formed to promote collaboration in preparedness and response planning for public health emergencies and potential bioterrorists attacks

  • www.hhs.gov

 

HHS BUYS NEW ANTHRAX VACCINE FOR STOCKPILE

 

  • HHS Secretary Thompson announced that HHS has awarded a contract for $877.5 million to VaxGen, Inc. to manufacture and deliver 75 million doses of a new anthrax vaccine

  • The full supply of the vaccine will be added to the Strategic National Stockpile and would be used to protect the public against a terrorist attack in which anthrax spores were released

  • This award represents the first contract under the Project BioShield, a new program intended to accelerate the development, purchase, and availability of medical countermeasures for biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear threats

  • President Bush introduced Project BioShield in his 2003 State of the Union address

  • Congress passed the Project BioShield Act of 2004 and the President signed it into law on July 21, 2004

  • HHS’ Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, which oversees the research and procurement efforts under the Project BioShield program, will manage this new anthrax vaccine contract

  • www.hhs.gov

 

HHS NEWS

 

*****HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announced on December 3 his resignation, stating “after nearly 40 years of public service, it is time for me and my family to move onto the next chapter in our life.”*****

 

HHS AWARDS $139 MILLION TO DRIVE ADOPTION OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

  • On October 13, 2004 HHS announced $139 million in grants and contracts to promote the use of health information technology (HIT)

  • Awarded through HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), this multi-year program builds on President Bush’s initiative to use HIT to improve the nation’s health care system

  • These awards will provide insight into how best to use health information technologies to improve patient safety by reducing medication errors; increasing the use of shared health information between providers, laboratories, pharmacies, and patients; helping to insure safer patient transitions between health care settings, including hospitals, doctors’ offices, and nursing homes; and reducing duplicative and unnecessary testing

  • The $139 million will be used in the following ways:

    • Promoting access to HIT

    • Developing statewide and regional networks

    • Encouraging adoption of HIT by sharing knowledge

  • President Bush in April called for electronic health records for most Americans within 10 years

  • An executive order provided for the establishment of the office of the “National Coordinator for Health Information Technology” and in May, Secretary Thompson appointed Dr. Brailer to the new position

  • www.ahrq.gov

  • www.hhs.gov

 

JCAHO UPDATE

 

Continuous Access to PPR in 2005

 

  • Beginning January 18, 2005, JCAHO will provide all accredited organizations with continuous access to the Periodic Performance Review (PPR) software via the Extranet

  • Continuous access will assist organizations in using the PPR tool as part of the organization’s ongoing management strategy as well as help organizations prepare for the future requirement to update the PPR annually (effective 1-1-06)

 

Recognition of Exemplary Organ Donation Rates

 

  • Beginning in mid-2005, hospitals that maintain an organ donation conversion rate of 75% or greater will be recognized in organization-specific Quality Reports

 

Jayco Extranet Security Enhancements

 

  • New security enhancements have been made to the JCAHO’s “Jayco” extranet site

  • Beginning in October, as accredited organizations log into their “Jayco” site, they will be prompted to migrate to the new system

  • Through the new system, staff members who are listed on the Organization Contact page on the “Jayco” site and who provide an email address will be given their own login and password, rather than sharing one password throughout the organization

 

New Campaign Offers Steps to Prevent Infections

 

  • JCAHO, in collaboration with the American Hospital Association, Association for Professionals in  Infection Control and Epidemiology, CDC, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, on October 20 urged Americans to take appropriate steps to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill

  • The national campaign to help Americans fight the spread of infection in health care settings and in the community, and contain contagious diseases like the common cold, strep throat, and influenza, coincided with National Infection Control Week, October 18-22

 

Call for Codman Award Applications

 

  • JCAHO is now accepting applications for the 9th annual Ernest A. Codman Award

  • The deadline for submitting an  application for the award is February 14, 2005

  • For 2005, JCAHO-accredited Disease Specific Care Certification programs are now eligible to apply for the Codman Award

 

JCAHO Participating in Development of Surgical Care Improvement Project

 

  • The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) is a national partnership of organizations committed to improving the safety of surgical care through the reduction of post-operative complications

  • In summer 2005, the SCIP partnership will launch a collaborative, multiyear national campaign to substantially reduce surgical mortality and morbidity in 4 target areas:

    • Surgical site infections

    • Cardiac complications

    • Respiratory complications

    • Venous thromboembolic complications

  • The goal is to reduce nationally the incidence of surgical complications by 25% by the year 2010

 

JCAHO, CMS  to Make Common Performance Measures Identical

 

  • JCAHO and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the signing of an agreement to work together incompletely aligning current and future common Hospital Quality Measures in their condition-specific performance measure sets

  • The current Hospital Quality Measures are included in the Joint Commission’s ORYX Core Measures and CMS’ 7th Scope of Work Quality of Care Measures on heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical infection prevention

  • CMS and JCAHO released and made available on their websites a common measures specification manual, which includes a data dictionary, measure information forms, algorithms, and other technical support information

  • This single common measures manual for hospital quality measures is effective with January 2005 hospital discharges

  • While containing documentation on the identical measures, the single manual also contains measures and operational processes unique to each entity—for example, the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) section of the manual contains the common identical measures, as well as 2 CMS test measures and the JCAHO AMI mortality measure

  • JCAHO  and CMS have signed an agreement to continue to work together to assure alignment into the future for common Hospital Quality Measures in their condition-specific performance measure sets

 

New Health Care Information Technology Work Group

 

  • For 2005, a new Health Care Information Technology Strategic Issues Work Group (SIWG) will be formed

  • This SIWG will identify opportunities for JCAHO to contribute to the rapid adoption of a national health care information technology infrastructure that includes an electronic medical record

 

 

NURSES TOP LIST IN HONESTY AND ETHICS AGAIN IN GALLUP POLL

 

  • The Gallop Organization’s annual  poll on professional honesty and ethical standards ranked nurses number one

  • Nurses have topped the list every year, except one (firefighters in 2001) since they were added to the survey in 1999

  • www.nursingworld.org

 

ANA PRESIDENT BLAKENEY TO SERVE ON IOM PANEL

 

  • American Nurses Association (ANA) President Barbara Blakeney, MS, RN has been invited by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to serve on a committee that will assess the current and future border quarantine functions and structure

  • The study (sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) will focus on:

    • the role of US quarantine stations as a public health intervention

    • the role federal agencies (such as Customs & Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Department of Agriculture and US Fish and Wildlife Service) will play in working with the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at ports of entry

    • the role state and local health departments will play, such as disease surveillance and medical assessment and follow-up of newly arriving immigrants and refugees

    • the appropriate types and number of health care professionals to staff quarantine sections

  • The IOM is a nonprofit organization under the auspices of the National Academies of Science, specifically created to serve as adviser to the nation to improve health by providing unbiased, evidence-based, authoritative advice concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals, leaders in every sector of society and the public at large

  • To be asked to serve on an IOM board is a high honor;  Blakeney is the first sitting president of ANA to serve on such a panel

  • www.nursingworld.org

 

ANA PRESIDENT BLAKENEY SPEAKS OUT ON WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AT NIOSH CONFERENCE

 

  • On November 17, 2004, ANA President Blakeney represented Nursing on a panel of national leaders during the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conference titled, “Partnering in Workplace Violence Prevention:  Translating Research to Practice” in Baltimore, MD

  • The goal of the conference was to identify successful workplace violence prevention strategies, barriers to program implementation, research and information dissemination gaps, and roles for national agencies and organizations

  • NIOSH info can be accessed at:  www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumaviolence.html

  • www.nursingworld.org

 

ICN RELEASES PUBLICATION ON GLOBAL NURSING SHORTAGE

 

  • The International Council of Nurses (ICN), the Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF), and the Burdett Trust for Nursing released The Global Shortage of Registered Nurses:  An Overview of Issues and Actions

  • The document provides a global overview of the nursing workforce, it:

    • Discusses the challenges associated with shortages

    • Describes a policy framework for interventions

  • The full document may be found at:  www.icn.ch/global/shortage.pdf (large pdf file; 62 pages)

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