Share your experiences with the Special Commission on Nursing Practice
By Gloria Craven, RN, MS
Director, Department of Legislation and Government Affairs

MNA members can share their stories and experiences with state legislators as the Special Commission to Investigate and Report on Matters Affecting the Practice of Nursing and the Delivery of Healthcare Services by Nurses continues its public hearings next month.

This is a tremendous opportunity to help shape the health care debate from a nursing perspective. Your practice and your license make you a credible expert. Let's help legislators understand the issues and present solutions. Every nurse who can make these hearings is encouraged to attend. If you ever asked, "Why don't those in power understand nursing and the issues nurses face in today's health care environment," now you have a chance to help them understand your practice.

"As someone who cares deeply about health care services, I want to know what works and what doesn't for nurses, said Rep. Christine Canavan, RN, BSN, D-Brockton, the commission's House chair. Canavan met at the MNA with representatives from a number of nursing specialty groups in March to encourage broad-based participation in these hearings. 

"We look forward to hearing testimony from the men and women who are at the forefront in the delivery of health care," stated Sen. Robert Creedon, D-Brockton, the commission's Senate chair. 

Although these hearings are an official government activity, nurses should not be intimidated. We are encouraging nurses to view them as "town meetings" where the legislators can truly hear from practicing nurses about the concerns that you have from your practice areas. It is an opportunity for each and every one of you to verbalize what you share with each other every day: the insufficient and unsafe staffing, the rapid discharge of patients and your concerns for their safety, the increase in mandatory overtime, the desire for increased education with little support for tuition reimbursement and the looming nursing shortage. Further, it is an opportunity to offer possible solutions to the concerns you have. It is a time to share new and entrepreneurial ideas related to patient care issues. This is a time to feature nursing as a model which is effective and critically important to the delivery of health "care." 

What to expect, what to do

Judith Mealey, RN,  attended the commission's hearing in Western Massachusetts in May and found the experience rewarding.

"The legislators were attentive and asked pertinent questions," Mealey said. "There was a wide variety of nurses testifying from school nurses, to the emergency room, to home care. All of the presenters were articulate and spoke about what they know best, their own area of nursing. I would encourage all of you to take this unique opportunity to have your voice heard and speak up and out for your patients and your profession. "
 

The commission is composed of five members of the House and Senate. Representatives are: Canavan, the  House chair; Kay Khan, RN, MSN, D-Newton; Mary Jane Simmons, LPN, D-Leominster; Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord; and Barbara Hyland, R-Foxborough). Senators are: Creedon, the Senate chair; Richard Moore, co-chair of Joint Committee on Health Care, D-Uxbridge; Michael Morrissey, co-chair of Joint Committee on Government Regulations, D-Quincy; Therese Murray, co-chair of Joint Committee on Human Services and Elderly Affairs, D-Plymouth; and Henri Raucshenbach, R-Brewster.  
 

Nursing Practice Commission hearing dates 

The Special Commission on Nursing Practice has set the following dates for public hearings. If you need additional information,  call the MNA at 800-882-2056 or visit the MNA web site at www.massnurses.org, where driving directions to each location can be found.

Every nurse is encouraged to attend and offer personal and professional experiences about nursing, patient care and solutions for improvement. Written testimony is encouraged for those who cannot attend. Send written testimony to Rep. Christine Canavan, Sen. Robert Creedon, chairs, Special Commission on Nursing Practice, Statehouse, Boston, MA 02133.

• Oct. 12, Fall River, 4-7 p.m. 
  Bristol Community College, 
  777 Ellsbree Street, Fall River
  
• Oct. 24, Brockton, 1-4 p.m. 
  Massasoit Conference Center 
  (Next to Christo's Restaurant) 
  731 Crescent St., Brockton