Legislative Network for Nurses articles from July 2004

Legislative Network for Nurses archives from July 2004

On the comeback trail.(Patients' Bill of Rights, health plans)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL. The U.S. Supreme Court has done what scores of patients' advocates have been unable to do--bring the Patients' Bill of Rights (PBR) back from the dead. The high court ruled against a Texas law giving health maintenance...

Politician endorsed.(John Kerry, American Nurses Association)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... POLITICIAN ENDORSED. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the American Nurses Association-endorsed candidate for president, called into the ANA's House of Delegates (HOD) meeting June 28 to share his views on nurses and health care (see related story, p....

House panel gives slight increases to Title VIII; nurses 'thankful'.(Nursing Workforce Development)
July 12, 2004... Nurse advocates will not get the increases they want in fiscal year (FY) 2005 for Nursing Workforce Development (Title VIII) programs if a House Appropriations subcommittee's mark is any indication. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on...

HRSA awards $46 million for health professions, nursing scholarships.(Health Resources and Services Administration )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... More nursing students who otherwise would not be able to pay for their nursing education will receive financial assistance from the federal government. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded $46 million in...

National Magazine's 'Best Hospitals' survey now includes Magnet status.(U.S. News and World Report, Magnet recognition)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... For the first time since it began an annual survey of America's "Best Hospitals," U.S. News and World Report has included whether or not a health care facility has received Magnet Recognition as one of the ranking criteria. The annual survey is...

Study shows strong link between nurses' hours and patient safety.
July 12, 2004... Nurses are more likely to make medical errors in hospitals when they routinely work long and unpredictable hours, according to a new study. Nurse groups, however, do not necessarily agree on the recommendations posed in the study. The link...

ANA addresses safety, environment, APRN practice at June HOD meeting.(American Nurses Association, advanced practice registered nurses, House of Delegates)
July 12, 2004... Hospitals would ensure safe nurse staffing levels, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) would be allowed to practice more fully, if the American Nurses Association's House of Delegates (HOD) has its way. These are just some of the...

Delegates of the American Nurses Association (ANA) have elected Barbara Blakeney to serve a second consecutive two-year term as ANA's president.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Delegates of the American Nurses Association (ANA) have elected Barbara Blakeney to serve a second consecutive two-year term as ANA's president. A slate of 28 candidates vied for 19 leadership positions during ANA's 2004 elections. Blakeney...

A new Commonwealth Fund report outlines a range of initiatives that states and localities are using to end racial and ethnic health disparities and offers several strategies for state policymakers and health leaders seeking to improve health care coverage, access and outcomes for minorities.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * A new Commonwealth Fund report outlines a range of initiatives that states and localities are using to end racial and ethnic health disparities and offers several strategies for state policymakers and health leaders seeking to improve health...

A new study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that analyzed patient safety data from 29 small rural hospitals between 2001 and 2004 indicates that different members of health care teams--nurses, pharmacists and administrators--often disagree on what constitutes a medical error or which adverse events should be reported to patients.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * A new study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that analyzed patient safety data from 29 small rural hospitals between 2001 and 2004 indicates that different members of health care teams--nurses, pharmacists and...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a software program to help hospitals and public health officials prepare for the next flu pandemic.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a software program to help hospitals and public health officials prepare for the next flu pandemic. The spreadsheet-based software, FluSurge 1.0, estimates the potential surge in...

The Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service (HSC) has released a new report on the national average salary of director of nurses at continuing care retirement communities.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service (HSC) has released a new report on the national average salary of director of nurses at continuing care retirement communities. It reports salaries increased 3.9 percent in 2004 to $65,237. The...

If all hospitals met the quality standards for five high-risk surgeries set by The Leapfrog Group, they would save nearly 8,000 lives each year, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS).(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * If all hospitals met the quality standards for five high-risk surgeries set by The Leapfrog Group, they would save nearly 8,000 lives each year, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Open heart surgery...

Arizona.(Mayo Clinic Hospital, critical shortage of registered nurses)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Arizona: Arizona State University (ASU) and the Mayo Clinic have reached an agreement to collaborate on a new joint nursing program based at Mayo Clinic Hospital in northeast Phoenix. This new program is being created to increase enrollment...

Florida.(Tenet South Florida's hospitals, donations, nurses education, nurses shortage)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Florida: Tenet South Florida's hospitals and Nova Southeastern University's Health Professions Division have teamed up to address Florida's nursing shortage by launching a new baccalaureate program for second-degree seeking students. In...

Maryland.(Job vacancy rate of certified registered nurse anesthetists)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Maryland: The University of Maryland School of Nursing recently received accreditation for a new nurse anesthesia master's program and will begin classes this fall. According to a recent Maryland Hospital Association survey, certified...

Mississippi.(Nursing workforce anagement)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Mississippi: The Mississippi Hospital Association recently co-sponsored a Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce summit that drew more than 250 leaders from health care, public policy, education, and economic and workforce development to...

New Jersey.(Fiscal year 2005 budget allocations, charity care funding for hospitals)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * New Jersey: New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey (D) recently signed a fiscal year 2005 state budget that includes a $203 million increase in charity care funding for hospitals, a measure backed by the New Jersey Hospital Association. The action...

New York.(Long term care community coalition report, job satisfaction, working conditions)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * New York: New York state's Long Term Care Community Coalition has released a new report on improving working conditions for nursing home direct care staff. The report describes actions taken by two homes in New York City as they measured job...

North Carolina.(Certified registered nurse anesthetists)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * North Carolina: The number of health professionals who provide anesthesia services in North Carolina grew significantly between 1992 and 2002, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Cecil G. Sheps...

South Carolina.(Partnership for Education and Clinical Excellence, donations, nursing education)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * South Carolina: The Partnership for Education and Clinical Excellence, a coalition of hospitals in South Carolina, has agreed to give $1 million over three years to boost nursing education at the University of South Carolina (USC) and...

An article by geriatric nurse Kathleen Fletcher is available to help advanced practice nurses identify the vulnerability of elders that increases the risk for emergencies.(Resources)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * An article by geriatric nurse Kathleen Fletcher is available to help advanced practice nurses identify the vulnerability of elders that increases the risk for emergencies, use a protocol for determining the degree of crisis being experienced,...

The Washington DC Area GEC Consortium has developed the Learners' Explorer, an online geriatric syllabus to connect students and professionals with online resources in the field of geriatrics and gerontology.(Resources)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The Washington DC Area GEC Consortium has developed the Learners' Explorer, an online geriatric syllabus to connect students and professionals with online resources in the field of geriatrics and gerontology. The Learners' Explorer covers...

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson recently announced the launch of a Web site that contains information on hundreds of technology products to improve quality of life and care in long-term care residential settings.(Resources)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson recently announced the launch of a Web site that contains information on hundreds of technology products to improve quality of life and care in long-term care residential...

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the launch of an expanded health information Web site.(Resources)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the launch of an expanded health information Web site. The expanded site now offers links to a wider range of NIH's resources, features colorful images and gives readers the chance to test...

The American Public Health Association (APHA) July 8 announced its support for a new bill aimed at "mitigating public health personnel shortages and ensuring that the United States is adequately protected from public health threats.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The American Public Health Association (APHA) July 8 announced its support for a new bill aimed at "mitigating public health personnel shortages and ensuring that the United States is adequately protected from public health threats by a...

The American Hospital Association.(Funding Opportunities)
July 12, 2004... * The American Hospital Association (AHA) has announced that applications are now available for the 2005 AHA McKesson Quest for Quality Prize: Honoring Leadership and Innovation in Patient Care Quality, Safety, and Commitment. The award is...

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing.(Funding Opportunities)
July 12, 2004... * The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Lydia's Professional Uniforms, a leading supplier of apparel for health professionals, has launched a new scholarship program for nurses enrolled in baccalaureate programs. Through...

The National League for Nursing.(Request for proposal for development and maintaining archives)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * The National League for Nursing (NLN) is soliciting proposals from individuals with expertise as historians and/or archivists--or a historian/ archivist team--who can provide guidance on the development and ongoing maintenance of NLN's...

The Health Resources and Services Administration.(Funding Opportunities)
July 12, 2004... * The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces the availability of up to $5.4 million to support six to eight Healthy Communities Access Program demonstration projects to develop patient-based research infrastructure at...

House committee passes spending bill, takes action on nursing issues.
July 26, 2004... Nursing workforce programs (Title VIII) would receive $146.8 million for fiscal (FY) year 2005--a 3.5 percent increase over FY 2004 amounts--according to the House Appropriations Committee. The committee July 14 approved a FY 2005...

DHS delays rule requiring foreign RNs to get special DHS certification.(United States Department of Homeland Security, Registered Nurse)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... Nurses from Canada and Mexico have another year to obtain special certification from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-approved credentialing body to work in the United States on a non-immigrant visa. Just one week before it was to take...

Senate bill extends 'add on' payments to Medicare providers in rural areas.(Home health nurses)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... Home health nurses and other providers serving seniors in rural communities would continue to get additional reimbursement from Medicare, if a recently introduced bill becomes law. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) July 19 introduced the...

Senate passes medical error bill; ANA wants mandatory reporting.(Nurses and other health providers would not be required to report medical errors, American Nurses Association)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... Nurses and other health care providers would not be required to report medical errors, under a bill passed July 22 by the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Judd Gregg (RN. H.) and Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.), would establish a confidential,...

EOL programs initially can increase RN anxiety over death, study says.(end-of-life, Registered Nurse)
July 26, 2004... While educational programs on death and dying are available to help nurses learn how to care for dying patients and their families, such programs can actually increase nurses' anxiety about death, says a recent study by Jane Kurz, associate...

JCAHO found deficient.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare, Government Accountability Office report)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... JCAHO FOUND DEFICIENT. A study released July 20 by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (formerly the General Accounting Office) calls for giving the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) greater oversight authority over the...

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson July 23 awarded 62 grants totaling $15.5 million to universities, colleges, nursing schools, medical centers and other health care organizations.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson July 23 awarded 62 grants totaling $15.5 million to universities, colleges, nursing schools, medical centers and other health care organizations to expand the nation's supply of...

President Bush recently said he intends to nominate Daniel Levinson as inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * President Bush recently said he intends to nominate Daniel Levinson as inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services. If confirmed by the Senate, Levinson would replace Dara Corrigan, who has served as acting principal...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently named Leslie Norwalk deputy administrator of CMS.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently named Leslie Norwalk deputy administrator of CMS. Norwalk had been serving as acting deputy administrator. Additionally, CMS named John Robert Dyer as chief operating officer (COO)...

The board of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) approved 2005 National Patient Safety Goals during its July 9-10 meeting.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The board of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) approved 2005 National Patient Safety Goals during its July 9-10 meeting. The goals will replace the 2004 National Patient Safety Goals as of Jan. 1, 2005....

A July 19 report from the Association of Academic Health Centers recommends that the federal government create new funding to research, test and evaluate various models of interprofessional education and practice.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * A July 19 report from the Association of Academic Health Centers recommends that the federal government create new funding to research, test and evaluate various models of interprofessional education and practice. Health Professions and...

The country's hospitals are making significant headway in building the electronic medical records (EMRs) many health experts say will improve quality and patient safety and heighten efficiency.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The country's hospitals are making significant headway in building the electronic medical records (EMRs) many health experts say will improve quality and patient safety and heighten efficiency, according to results released July 19 from the...

Daisy Cruz-Richman, dean of the College of Nursing at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, recently represented the American Association of Colleges of Nursing at the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition Capitol Hill luncheon.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Daisy Cruz-Richman, dean of the College of Nursing at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, recently represented the American Association of Colleges of Nursing at the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition...

Women are twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder in their lives.(materials for women on anxiety disorders)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Women are twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder in their lives. Anxiety disorders come in many forms: consistent panic attacks, obsessing over germs or establishing elaborate rituals to get through the day, or avoiding the...

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recently hosted an awards ceremony for the winners of the 2004 Secretary's Award for Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recently hosted an awards ceremony for the winners of the 2004 Secretary's Award for Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, a national awards program sponsored by the U.S....

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson July 21 announced the framework of a 10-year plan to give patients and caregivers real-time access to patient health information through electronic health records (EHRs).(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson July 21 announced the framework of a 10-year plan to give patients and caregivers real-time access to patient health information through electronic health records (EHRs), which would be...

Businesses can help employees shed pounds and improve their health with the help of occupational health nurses.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Businesses can help employees shed pounds and improve their health with the help of occupational health nurses. Obesity is a serious health condition affecting millions of Americans, and it is costing businesses $13 billion annually in health...

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has launched a Web site intended to help consumers make informed choices about their health care.(Resources)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has launched a Web site intended to help consumers make informed choices about their health care. The Quality Check Web site allows the public to compare accredited...

In the new book Where Have All the Nurses Gone? nurse Faye Satterly presents a behind-the-scenes account of a health care system under stress and the declining quality of medical treatment.(Resources)(Book Review)
July 26, 2004... * In the new book Where Have All the Nurses Gone?, nurse Faye Satterly presents a behind-the-scenes account of a health care system under stress and the declining quality of medical treatment. Satterly, the Cancer Services Director at Martha...

A new book, written by Linda Gambee Henry and James Douglas Henry, is available from the publishing program of American Nurses Association.(Resources)(Book Review)
July 26, 2004... * A new book, written by Linda Gambee Henry and James Douglas Henry, is available from the publishing program of American Nurses Association. "The Soul of the Caring Nurse: Stories and Resources for Revitalizing Professional Passion" contains a...

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has developed a free online resource designed to help health care providers conduct influenza immunization programs for children.(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has developed a free online resource designed to help health care providers conduct influenza immunization programs for children. The "Kids Need Flu Vaccine, Too!" program aims to increase...

Maryland.(School of Nursing, center for occupational and environmental health and justice)
July 26, 2004... * Maryland: Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, recently announced the establishment of the School of Nursing's first Center for Research Excellence, The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health and...

Pennsylvania.(Villanova University College of Nursing, nurses as teachers)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Pennsylvania: The Villanova University College of Nursing welcomed its inaugural class of 12 doctoral students this summer. This program, which awards the PhD degree, is designed to prepare nurses as teacher-scholars for academic careers in...

South Carolina.(Finance from coalition of hospitals to boost nursing education)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * South Carolina: Through the newly formed Partnership for Education and Clinical Excellence, a coalition of hospitals in South Carolina has agreed to give $1 million over three years to boost nursing education at the University of South...

Tennessee.(patient information management initiative, government finance)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Tennessee: Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) recently announced his administration will commit $10 million over five years to a pilot project that will allow hospitals, physicians and other providers to share patient information. The...

Washington.(Summer nurse camp, nursing career)(Brief Article)
July 26, 2004... * Washington: Thirty students in the Puget Sound area have been selected to attend Summer Nurse Camp, sponsored by Multicare Health System, after writing essays on why they are considering nursing as a possible career. In their essays, many...

The California HealthCare Foundation.(Funding Opportunities)
July 26, 2004... * The California HealthCare Foundation seeks proposals for "Promoting Consumer Partnerships in Chronic Disease Care: Strategies for the Safety Net" to promote effective and innovative strategies that empower patients to manage their own chronic...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(Funding Opportunities)
July 26, 2004... * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has available one-year stipend-supported fellowship opportunities in public health and preventive medicine interest areas through its ATPM Preventive Medicine and Public Health Fellowship...