|
MNA Applauds Senator Richard Moore For Introduction of Legislative Initiatives
to Address Nursing Shortage
The Massachusetts Nurses Association is among those supporting a series of
legislative initiatives to address the growing nursing shortage, which were
introduced today at a press briefing held by State Senator Richard T. Moore
(D-Uxbridge). Moore, senate chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care,
has filed a series of bills to address the shortage of health care workers and
to reduce medical errors.
In Massachusetts as well as throughout the nation, a growing shortage of nurses
has led to a crisis in health care, which is eroding the quality of care in
our health care institutions. According to the MNA, an aging nursing workforce,
combined with health care management practices that have led to a deterioration
in the working conditions for nurses, has caused many nurse to leave the profession,
and slowed the number of students entering the profession.
Senator Moore’s legislation is designed to help alleviate this crisis.
Included in his package is the Clara Barton Nursing Excellence Program, which
would provide nursing scholarships for students entering the profession, establish
student loan repayment programs, and a signing bonus for those who have demonstrated
an excellence in nursing. It would provide grants to healthcare institutions
and institutions of higher education for the establishment and maintenance of
a mentoring and internship program for new nurses.
“The MNA is proud to stand with Senator Moore today and we congratulate
him for taking a pro-active, pro-nurse, pro-patient approach to the issue of
the nurse shortage, which is nothing less than a public health crisis,”
said Denise Garlick, President of the MNA who attended the press briefing today.
“Over the past year, the MNA has been focusing on the current nurse shortage,
with an eye on developing concrete strategies to address the shortage.
We are delighted to work with Senator Moore on this legislation as it represents
an important step towards addressing this crisis.”
The MNA points to this legislation as an important first step in a series of
steps that need to be taken to address the shortage of nurses and to improve
patient care in the Commonwealth.
“Senator Moore has shown great foresight in putting together a package
of legislative initiatives that address both the shortage of nurses, as well
as issues of patient safety and the prevention of medication errors,”
Garlick said. “We look forward to working with the legislature and Senator
Moore on this legislation as well as other important initiatives needed to ensure
every patient in the Commonwealth is provided the nursing care they deserve.”
Paramount among these initiatives, according to the MNA, is the need for legislation
that guarantees safe staffing levels in all health care facilities. The
lack of safe staffing in the state’s health care facilities is what is
leading to the rise of mandatory overtime, injuries to nurses, increases in
medication errors and other negative patient outcomes. This week, the
MNA will re-introduce legislation that would mandate safe staffing levels in
all health care settings. A similar measure passed in the California legislature
in 1999.
“While we need to encourage nurses to enter this great profession, nothing
substantive can be done to address the shortage unless and until we create a
practice environment for nurses that is safe for them and their patients,”
said Garlick. “The Senator has proposed legislation to address the
issue of poor staffing in nursing homes. Tomorrow (12/06/00), the MNA
will file legislation to provide similar protections for all nurses in all health
care settings and we look forward to working with the Senator and the legislature
to expand the scope of protections being proposed so that no patient in the
state receives care in an understaffed facility.”
- Visit Senator Moore's web site to view great information on health care
in MA and / or to send him an email of thanks for his support: http://www.senatormoore.com
|
