Legislative Network for Nurses articles from April 2004

Legislative Network for Nurses archives from April 2004

Medicaid still faces big cuts in FY 2005 budget resolution.
April 5, 2004... The poor, elderly and disabled are still facing Medicaid cuts in the FY 2005 budget resolution, which may mean slashed payments to providers. A coalition of 20 health care provider organizations, including the American Hospital Association...

CDC says vigilance required by staff to identify, stop transmission of TB.
April 5, 2004... Heightened awareness and vigilance are required by nurses and other hospital staff to identify and treat persons with suspected tuberculosis (TB) promptly, according to a case study highlighted in the Centers for Disease Control and...

GAO finds OSHA guidelines help reduce injuries; ANA disagrees.(General Accounting Office)(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report indicates that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) voluntary compliance programs have been effective in reducing the number of workplace injuries and illnesses. While the...

BPI special report: health professionals and environmental health education.( National Environmental Education and Training Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... With the widespread presence of environmental health hazards in communities and in the world, health professionals must be prepared to diagnose, treat and prevent health conditions related to environmental exposures in their patients and...

Groups Express Need for Better Environmental Health Education.(National Environmental Education and Training Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Health care professionals--especially physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, nurse midwives and community health workers at the frontline of the health care system--must have better environmental health education,...

NEETF Makes Recommendations to Profession for Improving Education.(National Environmental Education and Training Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Professional associations, decision-making bodies, academic institutions and health care provider practice settings must endorse the need to address health conditions associated with environmental exposures, NEETF recommended. ...

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has posted to its Web site a primer designed to help medical professionals and emergency personnel manage a radiological disaster or terrorist attack.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American College of Radiology (ACR) has posted to its Web site a primer designed to help medical professionals and emergency personnel manage a radiological disaster or terrorist attack. The document offers guidance on preparedness,...

Americans made 110.2 million visits to hospital emergency rooms in 2002, 2.5 percent more than in 2001 and 23 percent more than a decade ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Americans made 110.2 million visits to hospital emergency rooms in 2002, 2.5 percent more than in 2001 and 23 percent more than a decade ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported. The findings were reported...

The Intercultural Cancer Council Caucus (ICCC) recently issued a 12-step plan suggesting how congress and the administration can begin to eliminate disparities in cancer care experienced by the medically underserved.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The Intercultural Cancer Council Caucus (ICCC) recently issued a 12-step plan suggesting how Congress and the administration can begin to eliminate disparities in cancer care experienced by the medically underserved. The report summarizes...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 24 announced a new Web site designed to communicate information about Medicare contracting reform initiatives to be implemented under the Medicare Modernization Act.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 24 announced a new Web site designed to communicate information about Medicare contracting reform initiatives to be implemented under the Medicare Modernization Act. Under the...

The American Hospital Association (AHA) March 30 expressed support for an amendment to the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003 that would enable state or local governments, at their discretion, to provide certain health care services to legal and undocumented immigrants.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American Hospital Association (AHA) March 30 expressed support for an amendment to the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003 that would enable state or local governments, at their discretion, to provide certain...

A coalition of organizations representing hospitals in border states March 29 submitted comments recommending how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should distribute $1 billion in funding authorized over four years by the Medicare Modernization Act to help hospitals defray the cost of providing uncompensated emergency care to undocumented immigrants.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * A coalition of organizations representing hospitals in border states March 29 submitted comments recommending how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should distribute $1 billion in funding authorized over four years by the...

The National Alliance for Health Information Technology released a directory of health care information technology (IT) standards to members April 1 and will release it to the public by June as part of its effort to accelerate standards-based IT.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The National Alliance for Health Information Technology released a directory of health care information technology (IT) standards to members April 1 and will release it to the public by June as part of its effort to accelerate standards-based...

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP) are sponsoring a special educational program on the new regulations approved by the Department of Homeland Security affecting hiring of foreign health care workers in the United States.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP) are sponsoring a special educational program on the new regulations approved by the Department of Homeland...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released an alert titled, "Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings.".
April 5, 2004... * The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released an alert titled, "Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings." The purpose of the alert is to increase...

Forty-one senators have signed a letter urging the Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee to increase funding for nurse education and development programs by $63 million in fiscal year 2005, citing the nation's burgeoning shortage of nurses.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Forty-one senators have signed a letter urging the Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee to increase funding for nurse education and development programs by $63 million in fiscal year 2005, citing the nation's...

The American Nurses Association is a partner in supporting National Public Health Week, April 5-11.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American Nurses Association is a partner in supporting National Public Health Week, April 5-11. Sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA), this year's theme is "Eliminating Health Disparities, Communities Moving from...

Arizona.(validity of a liability lawsuit)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Arizona: Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) recently signed legislation requiring an expert to certify the validity of a liability lawsuit brought against a licensed health care professional before the lawsuit can proceed. The new law is...

Florida.(State News)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Florida: The Florida Community College Foundation has announced that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) has donated $2.5 million, its single largest gift ever, to support nursing and allied health programs in Florida's community...

Maryland: The survey of the recipients of Maryland Nursing Scholarships.(State News)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Maryland: The Survey of the Recipients of Maryland Nursing Scholarships, conducted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, found that 99 percent of the nurses who received financial assistance and are now completing their service...

Maryland: Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing.(State News)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Maryland: Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has been named as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women for 2004. The annual award program, established by The Daily Record in 1996, recognizes 100 of Maryland's leading...

Missouri.(State News)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Missouri: The Missouri Hospital Association recently released the first in a series of reports on the quality of care provided in the state's hospitals. The report shows how often hospitals around the state provided currently recommended care...

New York.(State News)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * New York: The University of Rochester School of Nursing will double in size with the addition of a new $7 million wing. The university is expected to increase enrollment by 60 percent. Im provements will include a high-tech auditorium,...

Virginia.(State News)(The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia )(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * Virginia: The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) has approved a strategic plan to address the state's growing shortage of nurses. The report, which is being sent to the Virginia General Assembly, recommends funding to...

CampusRN.(Funding opportunities)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * CampusRN, an employment Web site for nursing/allied health care students, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing have partnered to offer a scholarship program for students pursuing professional nursing education programs. The...

The American Nurses Foundation.(Funding opportunities)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American Nurses Foundation is accepting applications and nominations for the 2004 Distinguished Contribution to Nursing Science Award, a biennial celebration designed to recognize prominent nurse researchers. Award recipients are selected...

The Gerontological Society of America's.(Funding opportunities)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The Gerontological Society of America's Clinical Medicine Section offers the Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award in collaboration with the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing. Along with a cash prize...

The American Health Care Association.(Funding opportunities)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) offer the 2005 Durante Nurse Scholarship Program for qualified students interested in long-term care nursing careers. It awards up to 20...

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing.(Funding opportunities)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing seek applications for the AACN/Hartford Institute Award for Baccalaureate Education in Geriatric Nursing. Eligible applicants include...

HRSA/Meeting.(Federal Register)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * HRSA/Meeting. Notice. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice will meet April 14-16 in Washington. Contact: Elaine Cohen, (301) 443-1405. March 30 Federal...

CMS/Program issuance.(Federal Register)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... * CMS/Program Issuance. Notice. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) lists CMS manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and other Federal Register notices that were published from October 2003 through...

CMS/DSH allotments.(Federal Register)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... * CMS/DSH Allotments. Notice. The CMS announces the final federal share disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments for federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2001 and 2002, and the preliminary federal share DSH allotments for FFYs 2003 and 2004....

Get the feeling?(health care industry to follow Toyota Motor Corp., footsteps)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... GET THE FEELING? An increasing number of health care providers are borrowing management and productivity techniques from auto maker Toyota to lower costs and increase efficiency. Techniques such as locating the underlying causes of mistakes and...

ANA urges Senate not to pass association health plan bill.(American Nurses Association)
April 19, 2004... Small businesses and their workers would be hurt if the Small Business Health Fairness Act (S. 545) becomes law, American Nurses Association (ANA) President Barbara Blakeney charges. The bill, which is stalled in the Senate, would allow...

Senate still divided on malpractice reform; RNs watch issue closely.(registered nurses)
April 19, 2004... The American Nurses Association (ANA) is pleased that Senate Republicans have not had the last word on the medical malpractice debate. Senate Republicans April 7 failed to close debate on their latest bill (S. 2207), which would cap damages in...

ACNP releases 2004 public policy agenda.(American College of Nurse Practitioners)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... Advocating for provider-neutral language and removal of barriers to practice and reimbursement will be top legislative priorities for nurse practitioners this year. The American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), which gave LNN a copy...

House bill would allow RN-Trained caregivers to get paid by Medicare.(registered nurses to train family members according to the new legislation)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... Registered nurses would train family members caring for an elderly patient at home, so the family members could get reimbursed by Medicare, under legislation introduced by Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.) earlier this month. ...

Nurses, physicians, government release foodborne illness guide.(new educational guide for health care professionals)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... Nurses and other health care professionals are in the best position to prevent and treat foodborne illnesses, but they also must be better educated on the subject. Therefore, nurse and other health care associations, along with the federal...

Coalition of nurses, advocates promotes safer medication use.(National Consumers League to launch SOS Rx)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... Nurses and other patient advocates want patients to be able to use medications safely; therefore, the National Consumers League (NCL) April 6 announced the launch of SOS Rx, a national health care coalition designed to make the outpatient use...

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is recruiting peer reviewers to serve as evaluators for the agency's grant programs.
April 19, 2004... * The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is recruiting peer reviewers to serve as evaluators for the agency's grant programs. Grant reviewers help HRSA select the best programs from competitive groups of applicants. Reviewers...

Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) needs pediatric nurses to serve in long-term volunteer assignments at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.
April 19, 2004... * Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) needs pediatric nurses to serve in long-term volunteer assignments at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Nurses in this program will implement a $40,000 grant to HVO from the Izumi Foundation to fund the...

The American Hospital Association (AHA) and its partners in the Quality Initiative earlier this month sent to all U.S. hospitals an advisory outlining the 12 new clinical measures of care that will be added to the effort to create a public resource on hospital quality.(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * The American Hospital Association (AHA) and its partners in the Quality Initiative earlier this month sent to all U.S. hospitals an advisory outlining the 12 new clinical measures of care that will be added to the effort to create a public...

The American Hospital Association (AHA), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other partners in the voluntary hospital Quality Initiative have announced the dates and locations for public "listening sessions" they will host through June on hospital performance measurements.
April 19, 2004... * The American Hospital Association (AHA), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other partners in the voluntary hospital Quality Initiative have announced the dates and locations for public "listening sessions" they will...

Almost 90 million Americans, or half of the adult population, do not have the ability to understand and make informed decisions about their health.(survey report)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * Almost 90 million Americans, or half of the adult population, do not have the ability to understand and make informed decisions about their health. This is a situation that may be causing billions of dollars in avoidable health care costs,...

About a year after the final Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule took effect.(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * About a year after the final Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule took effect, a survey of hospitals and other health care organizations by the American Health Information Management Association finds most...

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) recently awarded Tommy Thompson.(secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) recently awarded Tommy Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with its annual HIMSS Advocacy Award for his leadership to include health care...

Primary care clinicians should screen all adults and pregnant women for alcohol misuse and refer them for counseling if necessary.(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * Primary care clinicians should screen all adults and pregnant women for alcohol misuse and refer them for counseling if necessary, according to an updated recommendation issued April 5 from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The...

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) research and data services staff.(Resources)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * The American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) research and data services staff announce that the following data reports are now available: "2003-2004 Salaries of Instructional and Administrative Faculty in Baccalaureate and...

Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago has published a proceedings manual.(Resources)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago has published a proceedings manual based on an April 2003 symposium titled "Students with Disabilities: Nursing Education and Practice." Cosponsored by the Rush University Medical Center, the...

The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute and MEDSTAT have a brief on training.(Resources)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute and MEDSTAT have a brief on training for home-and community-based direct care workers. The eight-page document looks at training practices, gaps, model programs and resources. To view The Right Start,...

New Jersey.(State News)(overdose medication puts nurse on court trial)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * New Jersey: CBS News' "60 Minutes" reported on the case of Charles Cullen, a critical care nurse charged with using a lethal overdose of a heart medication to kill a patient at a New Jersey hospital. Cullen has since confessed to killing as...

Nevada/Texas.(State News)(nursing schools on rise as demand for nursing careers increases)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * Nevada/Texas: Two nursing schools are opening accelerated baccalaureate programs to accommodate the rising interest in the nursing among career changers. This fall, Nevada State College will use $500,000 in federal funding to offer an...

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has expressed strong support for bipartisan legislation introduced earlier this month in the House and Senate.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * The American Hospital Association (AHA) has expressed strong support for bipartisan legislation introduced earlier this month in the House and Senate that would improve and reauthorize the State 30 Program for five years to help ensure...

President Bush April 10 signed the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 conference report (H.R. 3108).(Legislation)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... * President Bush April 10 signed the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 conference report (H.R. 3108), which will reduce hospitals' and other employers' pension fund obligations. The legislation, will replace the rate used to calculate required...

The U.S. Labor Department.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The U.S. Labor Department is soliciting applications from state and local workforce investment boards (WIBs) and faith-based and community organizations for $6.5 million in grants that will be used to prepare people for jobs in high-growth...

The U.S. Army Nurse Corps.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The U.S. Army Nurse Corps will repay up to $27,998 in qualified educational loans, an increase of more than $1,300 over last year, through the Active Duty Health Professions Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP). Eligible loans for repayment may...

The Delmarva Foundation.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The Delmarva Foundation, a national not-for-profit organization, has established the Quality Health Foundation (QHF) and will award grants to eligible organizations in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, Vermont,...

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Quality Forum (NQF) are accepting applications for the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. This award recognizes individuals and...

The University of California San Francisco.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, in conjunction with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, has announced the creation of the Betty Irene Moore Predoctoral Fellowships, which are designed to prepare nursing...

The Indian Health Service.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The Indian Health Service has announced the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) initiative, which will support partnerships between American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes or Tribally-based organizations, such as the National...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(Funding Opportunities)
April 19, 2004... * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the availability of fiscal year 2005 funds for a grant program for institutional training grants in occupational safety and health. The National Institute for Occupational...

New AACN president.(American Association of Colleges of Nursing)(Jean Bartels)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2004... Jean Bartels, professor and chair of the School of Nursing at Georgia Southern University, was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Bartels assumed the presidency at AACN's...