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Masschusetts Nurse | April 2000
NursePLAN: helping to create positive changes for the profession
NursePLAN is the political action committee of MNA.
NursePLAN, through its endeavors, directly affects MNA's visibility
and power to create positive changes for the profession and for
the patients we serve and it deserves every nurses support.. The
examples of the influence of NursePLAN and MNA are concrete. Here
is a partial listing of legislative accomplishments since 1993:
MNA has been directly responsible for the passage of the:
• State Wide Commission on Nursing – 1999
• First State Wide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program in the
U.S. – 1999
• Health Care "Whistle Blower" Legislation – 1999
• Early Retirement Incentive Package for State Employed Nurses
– 1998
• Internet Protections for Nurses on the Board of Nursing Web Site
1998
• Pay Raise for Nurses Employed by the Commonwealth – 1998, 1994
• Identification of Health Care Providers - 1996
• Amendment to Professional Corporations Statue to include Registered
Nurses – 1996
• Reinstitution of Medicaid Payment for Psychiatric Mental Health
Clinical Nurse Specialists – 1995
• Third Party Reimbursement for Nurse Practitioners - 1994
• Budget appropriations for the Board of Registration in Nursing
- 1993 to present
• Massachusetts Nurse Practice Act - 1993
MNA has influenced and changed the language for a nursing perspective
in the passage of:
• Establishment of Health Care Trust from the Tobacco Settlement
Funds – 1999
• New Funding for School Health Centers and School Nursing Services
– 1999
• Increased funding for Hepatitis B Vaccinations and Hepatitis
C education and awareness for public employees - 1999
• Newborn Hearing Testing – 1998
• Pain Management Regulation Legislation – 1998
• UMass Merger Legislation - 1997
• Health Care Access - 1996
• License for the Pine Street Inn Nurses Clinic – 1995
• Post Partum Benefits Mandates - 1995
• Hospice Benefits Mandates - 1994
• Pronouncement of Death by RNs in Home Care – 1994
This kind of legislative success emanates in part, from legislators
who work with MNA and are supportive of the goals of MNA. In return,
legislators look to NursePLAN, our political action committee for
nursing support for their work.
The goals of NursePLAN are to:
• Educate nurses about politics and the political process
• Support and encourage nurses to run for political office
• Endorse candidates who support nursing issues
• Raise funds for political contributions
NursePLAN ‘s policies directly affect MNA members and MNA legislative
success. All MNA members are members of NursePLAN. The executive
board of NursePLAN is elected each year during the Annual Convention
and Breakfast Meeting. The contributions to candidates that NursePLAN
authorizes every month are linked to attendance at fund raising
events. NursePLAN attempts to send MNA members who are constituents
of that legislator. In that way, both NursePLAN and MNA members
benefit from each event. In addition, MNA's presence at these events
raises lawmakers' awareness and interest in nursing issues. In this
upcoming election year,
NursePLAN will be intensely involved in endorsing candidates who
support MNA. Therefore your contribution to NursePLAN in an investment
in MNA and in Nursing. Please contribute directly to NursePLAN.
Your contribution makes a difference to our successes.
NursePLAN meetings are open to all members and are held the first
Wednesday of each month at MNA headquarters from 6 – 8 p.m.. You
are welcome to see NursePLAN powerfully advocate for our legislative
agenda and MNA friendly legislators.
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