My 2 Cents

OBAMA for President

I voted this morning and I voted for change! I voted for Obama for President of the United States.

Ohio Nurses Needed for GOTV Efforts with the Ohio Democratic Party

Nurses Needed for GOTV Efforts

The Ohio Democratic Party is working with individual Democratic nurses throughout the state to organize nurses’ involvement in the Obama campaign Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts, beginning on October 29th - November 4th.  The campaign is looking for volunteers on the weekdays and weekends, with shifts ranging from 9:30 am - 7:00 pm so there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer if you work non-traditional work hours.

 

As many of you may know, GOTV efforts involve getting Democrats and Obama supports to the polls!  You don't have to worry about encountering McCain supporters or Republicans or persuading anyone on why they should vote for Obama.  Further, GOTV efforts help ALL Democrats from the top of the ticket to the bottom. 

 

If you are interested, please contact liz@ohiodems.org or 614-207-7013 to sign up for a shift at your local GOTV staging location.  You can sign up by filling out the spreadsheet attached and sending it back to me.  (If you want the spreadsheet, email liz) Please encourage friends and fellow nurses to participate as well!  (It's a lot more fun when you work with friends!) 

When you sign up, you will be sent a free "Nurses for Obama Biden" t-shirt to wear while you volunteer.  When you email liz back, please remember to give me your t-shirt size, how many t-shirts you will need, and the address they should be sent.  This is a great way to show Ohio that nurses are working to elect Democrats!!! 

There are three phases of voter contact and three GOTV teams to plug into.  We need the most help with actual voter contact, particularly canvassing on Election Day. 

 

RED TEAM: - Responsible for polling site operations

·         Poll watching and reporting

·         Managing long lines and recruiting volunteers to canvass and phone bank at polling sites

 

WHITE TEAM: - Responsible for logistics and troubleshooting

·         Moving materials when and where needed

·         Emergency Turf cutting and mapping

·         Providing food, etc. to volunteers at the staging locations and in the field

 

BLUE TEAM:  - Responsible for voter contact operations

·         Canvassing

·         Phone Banking

Nurse to Nurse Phone Bank and Post Card Party for Obama-Biden

There will be a Nurse-to-Nurse Phone Bank and Post Card Party for the Obama-Biden ticket next week on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 7pm to 8:30pm.

It promises to be an evening of non-stop chatting and fun!

See the attached flyer.

Download cincinnatimeetingoctoberobama.pdf

 

Cincinnati Meeting for the Ohio Nurses Democratic Caucus

If you live in the Greater Cincinnati area and you are interested in attending, you are more than welcome.

The Cincinnati chapter of the Ohio Nurses Democratic Caucus is meeting again on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 from 7pm to 8:30pm.

Its not at my house so don't bring your bathing suit; our hostess this month is Robin Lee. See the attached flyer.

Download septemberONDCmeeting.pdf

Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (UEVHPA)

Read this article that appeared in Advance for Nurses about the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (UEVHPA).

http://www.uevhpa.org/Uploads/UEVHPA_AdvanceforNurses.pdf

Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus is having a meeting here in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 from 7pm to 8:30pm. For additional information about the Caucus, see its website at  http://www.ohiodemocraticnurses.org/mambo/.

The meeting will take place at our home in Springfield Township. We live in the northern part of Hamilton County near Winton Woods Park and ten minutes from the General Electric facility in Evendale on I-75. If you are familiar with the area, we live in the area between Woodlawn (near Springfield Pike) and Winton Woods Park.

If you are interested in attending, email my legal assistant Jaren, at ldwlegalassistant@msn.com to RSVP and she will email the flyer to you with the address, directions, and the meeting agenda.

If there is interest and depending on the number of nurses who RSVP, we may offer legal or Ohio nursing law and rule continuing education.

Ohio Democratic Women's Caucus: Events in Cincinnati, Ohio

I received this yesterday if any fellow Democratic nurses in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area are interested.

Download women4change081.pdf

Office of National Nurse Initiative

This is from The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) E-News, March 4, 2008

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TAANA in Action: TAANA Board Leading the Charge on the Office of the National Nurse Initiative
The Board of Directors of TAANA is putting in extra hours fulfilling its mission, and thanks to the hard work of board member, Edie Brous, we are seeing some great results. The board made a recommendation to support the Office of the National Nurse initiative, www.nationalnurse.org, during their February 2nd meeting in Pasadena, California. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the initiative, here is a brief re-cap:

Two years ago, the New York Times published an op-ed written by Teri Mills, MS, RN, ANP, CNE, a nurse educator/nurse practitioner from Oregon. The op-ed expressed a vision for our country to establish a high-ranking federal official titled, “National Nurse.” The article highlighted a proposal that would unite nurses from all educational backgrounds to address the nation’s rise in preventable conditions that are causing human suffering and contributing to the rise in healthcare costs.

The popularity of the story led to the formation of The National Nursing Network Organization (NNNO). Six members now sit on the Board of Directors, including Edie Brous, who hails from New York. Additionally, a number of nurses and supporters from around the country have lent expertise in a number of areas.

From the National Nurse website, an Office of the National Nurse is needed to:

• Establish symbolic national leadership by elevating and strengthening the Chief Nurse Officer of the USPHS to make this position visible to the nursing profession and the public.
• Complement the work of the US Surgeon General.
• Promote involvement in the Medical Reserve Corps to improve the health and safety of the community.
• Incorporate proven evidence-based public health education when delivering prevention.

The idea made sense to nurses around the country. Congresswoman Lois Capps, U.S. Representative for California, transformed the idea into a bill proposal and introduced it into the 109^th Congress where it amassed the bipartisan support of 42 House co-sponsors.TAANA previously awarded Representative Capps with the McGarvah award and support of this bill could further strengthen TAANA's alliance with her.

In the past year, the NNNO has fulfilled many interview requests and presented at several nursing conferences. The inspiring presentations have led to more and more nurse involvement.

Endorsements have poured in from all corners of the nation, including the New York State Assembly, who unanimously passed a resolution memorializing the United States Congress to enact legislation to establish the Office of the National Nurse.

Future legislation is planned for the 110^th Congress. It is now being advocated that the position of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for the U.S. Public Health System (USPHS) should assume the role of the National Nurse. This will likely expedite the passing of the bill, minimize cost, and avoid duplication of services. However, the NNNO feels that it is crucial to also re-title the position to “National Nurse,” rather than keep the title, “Chief Nursing Officer.”

Thetitle of "National Nurse"will be unique and recognizable. Presently there are thousands of nurses working under the title of Chief Nursing Officer (you only need to Google this as evidence), and few really understand or know of the important roles that the Chief Nurse Officer of the USPHS performs.

Teams composed of volunteer nurses would most likely be incorporated into the Medical Reserve Corps to focus on delivering health promotion information in their communities and could provide a ready supply of nurses in cases of large-scale emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Southern California fires. These activities will focus on strengthening health related linkages and creating a culture of prevention.

The National Nurse continues to gain momentum. As elections draw closer, it will become imperative for nurses to be heard. The public depends on nurses to be their advocates, much in the same way nurses practice patient advocacy at the bedside. A collective nursing voice must be heard politically so the profession can take the lead on preventing health problems.

If you are interested in this exciting initiative, please contact Edie Brous at EBrousRNJD@NYSBAR.com. Whether it is to make a comment, offer your support, or to get directly involved, we want to hear from you!

To learn more about the National Nurse, go to www.nationalnurse.org. You may also sign up to receive updates via emailed newsletters at their website.

Endorsement of the initiative is consistent with TAANA's bylaws and strategic plans and will serve topromote the organization's visibility as well asdevelop alliances.

Ohio Staffing Bill (HB 346)

This information appeared in the Ohio Nurses Association Member updated tht I received yesterday:

On Wednesday, February 6, 2008, Substitute HB 346, the Hospital Nurse Staffing Plan, gained momentum as the House Health Committee, chaired by Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, unanimously reported the bill favorably to the House of Representatives.

Lisa Rankin (ONA Lobbyist) and Bianca Miller testified on behalf of ONA.  Bianca Miller, a registered nurse for twenty years, testified regarding her personal experience with the impact that recent staffing changes have made to the qualify of care she provides and morale of staff at her hospital.  Ms. Miller further testified that her support for HB 346 rested on the hope that it was a “first step” in a different direction as bedside nurses have a voice in staffing decisions.  Ms. Miller powerfully stated, “In order to feel respected and valued, an organization needs to include the nurses in everyday operations…A committee with bedside nurses, hospital administration, and nursing management needs to be established.  An ongoing evaluation of the ANA [American Nurses Association] Staffing Principles needs to occur with established bench marks.”

The next step for Substitute HB 346 will be presentation to the full House to vote on, and, if passed, then the whole process begins again in the Senate.

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The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes staffing ratios need to be required by legislation but the number itself must be set at the unit level with RN input, rather than by the terms of the legislation. See http://www.safestaffingsaveslives.org/.

How do you feel about nurse staffing legislation? Should nursing staffing be legislated in your opinion? Do you support mandated nurse-patient staffing ratios or staffing principles like ANAs?

ANA Likes Hillary Clinton; This Blogger likes Obama

The American Nurses Association has endorsed Hillary Clinton. See http://nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/MediaResources/PressReleases/2008PR/ANAEndorsesClinton.aspx

This blogger likes Barack Obama. See http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/semr?source=SEM-register-google-obama-search-national.

Jan Lanier, RN, JD running for Ohio House

Jan Lanier is running for the Ohio House of Representatives, 2nd District serving Delaware County. Jan is a nurse attorney and she is employed by the Ohio Nurses Association and was the director of its health policy department. See www.ohnurses.org. Jan also worked for several years as an executive at the Ohio Board of Nursing. Jan is a member of the American Nurses Association, Ohio Nurses Association, and the Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus. http://www.ohiodemocraticnurses.org/mambo/

Her website address is www.janlanier.com.

Winning will not be possible without financial support. Jan has an opponent for the March 4th primary. Contributions should be sent to:

Citizens to Elect Jan Lanier, 35 Berkshire Commons Drive, Westerville, OH 43082.

I know funds are tight for most of us after the Holidays however, please consider making a financial contribution to Jan's campaign.

ANA 2008 Presidential Election Action Center

The American Nurses Association is providing nurses with extensive information about the 2008 Presidential Elections. ANA is encouraging nurses to learn about the Primary process, the political party conventions, and the Electoral College and to read about the candidates and their positions on the issues that are important to nurses. See http://www.nursingworld.org/Election2008ActionCenter.aspx.

How Do You Characterize Yourself as a Nurse?

I attended the fall meeting today for the Democratic Nurses Caucus in Bellville, Ohio. I introduced myself a nurse attorney to the membership.

How do you introduce yourself? My name is LaTonia Wright and I am a nurse. This isn't accurate. My name is LaTonia Wright and I am an attorney. This isn't accurate. My name is LaTonia Denise Wright and I am a nurse attorney; I defend nurses in licensure matters.

I don't think as nurses we sing our own praises and by not doing so, we miss an opportunity to inform, enlighten, and educate healthcare consumers and the public.

Start practicing your 15 second elevator speech as its referred to in the marketing literature.  Convey in precise terms exactly what you do and why its important.

Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus

I joined the Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus again at the Ohio Nurses Association Convention last weekend. Dues are $10.00 and it supports a worthy cause in my opinion.

For additional information about the Ohio Democratic Nurses Caucus, see its website at http://www.ohdemnurses.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 or contact its Chairperson, Carol Roe, R.N, M.S., J.D. at carol@ohdemnurses.org. 

Carol is a fellow nurse attorney in the Cleveland, Ohio area and an active member of the Ohio Nurses Association (http://www.ohnurses.org), and the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (http://www.clevelandnurse.org).

I would also join the Ohio Republican Nurses Caucus if such an organization was formed because I want to support organizations or associations that focus on professional, policy, advocacy, legal, and regulatory issues for nurses. After all, it is a nursing world. Don't believe me, see http://www.nursingworld.org.