Nurse Staffing Addressed on 20/20

ABC's 20/20 segment "Disappearing Nurses" (11/26) highlighted the crisis in nurse staffing, hospitals' inappropriate use of unlicensed assistive personnel, and what this means for patient care.

ANA, the MNA and other State Nurse Associations worked with 20/20 staff for many months on this segment, and it reflected many of ANA's key messages. ANA has been contacted by producers at several news magazines over the past three years about nurse staffing issues. Many expressed interest in the issue but were unwilling to follow through and commit the resources to tell a story that is complex, especially for television.

This segment was a pro-nurse, pro-patient piece, and it’s important for you to provide feedback to 20/20. Their future coverage of this issue will depend on viewer response. ABC's 20/20 has a web page for viewer comments and ANA encourages everyone to submit comments to: www.boards.go.com/cgi/abcnews/request.dll?LIST&room=kids_guns or visit Nursing World at www.nursingworld.org and click on the message board link under the story titled Nurse Staffing Addressed on 20/20.

We will be sending an official letter from ANA, however, it's important that 20/20 receive a large number of positive comments from a broad range of viewers. Please add your voice to this dialogue and encourage your friends and families to speak up on this important issue.