Progression of the Plan of Action
Since we have started this blog, we have generated various commentary from other nursing students at JMU that support our efforts in supporting H.R.3597. We have also contacted key state legislators such as Matthew J. Lohr, Mark D. Obenshain, and Bob Goodlatte via email in order to show our support and encourage its movement throught the house and senate. In addition, we contacted two JMU department heads and a several other nursing students on campus in order to encourage local support of the bill and to share its effects on nurses, nursing students, and healthcare in general. We have not, however, heard back from any of the legislators or department heads thus far; we are still hopeful that they will visit our blog and participate in our efforts to pass H.R. 3597. We will continue to observe any movement of this bill through the house and senate in hopes that the government will provide increasing oppertunities for the advancement of higher education for nurses throughout the country.

Further Developments

This bill is still in the first stages of the legislative process. It was introduced September 19, 2007 and before being sent to general debate, it will first be investigated, deliberated, and revised as needed. There are no current updates on any revisions made on this bill and it has not progressed any further. Within the health care system, the shortage of registered nurses is becoming a growing problem and is obtaining the attention of an increasing number of people. More of the population is beginning to recognize the direct correlation of nursing faculty and the shortage and therefore many universities are implementing strategies support and retain nursing faculty. For example, developing incentive scholarship programs for new graduates to return and teach, increasing the number of part time employees to assist with clinical instruction, and relieving some of the expectations of professors to alleviate the burden of teaching to a more reasonable level. The overall goal in many places is to change the work setting so that faculty delay retirement and new faculty are better mentored and introduced into teaching so that they remain committed to faculty careers.

Stakeholders and Legislators

Key Stakeholders
•Nurses
•Nursing Students
•Academic nursing department heads
•Deans and Presidents of Colleges/Universities
•Government
Legislatures
•Matthew J. Lohr - Delegate - Republican
•Mark D. Obenshain - Senator - Republican
•Bob Goodlatte - Congressman - Republican

Plan of Action

We highly support the efforts of this bill to accommodate the nursing shortage by increasing the number of graduates from baccalaureate programs. In order to circulate information about this bill and encourage its passage, we have created a plan of action. Our first step was the development of this blog, which is continually updated with current information pertaining to this bill. We have included background information, why this change is necessary, and its co-sponsors. Next, we will contact our state legislators and provide them with the information that we have researched about this bill. We will express to them why we think the issue is relevant and the importance of getting this bill to pass. We will invite them to view our blog so they can get a better view on the bill and our position.

Objective, Political Influence and Impact

Congress is promoting H.R. 3597 in order to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to create a capitation grant program to increase the number of nurses and graduate educated nurse faculty to meet the future need for qualified nurses. In recent years, the Institute of Medicine has found the health care system in increasing crisis as the number of medication errors in hospitals throughout the country steadily increases, partially attributable to low staffing which places the lives of patients in hospitals at greater risk for injury and even death. Upon passing this bill, more funds will be allocated to the education of registered nurses to meet the demanding needs of the future as 78 million baby boomers age and require additional health care services, to provide the first line of disaster response, and provide health care and service to to our growing military. Coupled with the growing demand for registered nursing, is the increased intensification of nursing education programs and the increasing constraints placed on the enrollment of qualified individuals into nursing programs throughout the country. Once this bill is passed in congress, additional grants and funds will be allocated to institutions of higher education in order to enable baccalaureate and associate degrees programs to expand their programs, faculty, and facilities to enable the admittance of a larger number of graduate and undergraduate nursing students to meet the growing need of competent nurses all over the United States. Ideally, this bill will decrease the shortage of nurses in hospitals across the country, promote the delivery of an adequate standard of care to patients to prevent injuries related to neglect and medication errors, and decrease the amount of law suits against various health care delivery systems secondary to inadequate staffing, maltreatment, and incompetency. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have predicted in 2006 that the nation's nursing shortage would continue to increase, reaching 1 million by 2020 (Bill Status Page). This statistic alone necessitates the need for policy change. Members from both the democratic and republican party support and sponsor the promotion of this bill.
(GovTracks.US)

Sponsors

Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY 4th)

Currently serving her 6th term representing Long Island's 4th Congressional District, Carolyn McCarthy was employed as a registered nurse before taking office. She was recently named Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities and holds many other honors.

Official Website

Co-Sponsors:

Lois Capps (D-CA 23rd)

Serving in Congress since 1998, Lois Capps was also a registered nurse for 20 years before holding office. She is a respected leader on issues of public health and passing legislation to address the national nursing shortage.
Official Website

Steven LaTourette (R-OH 14th)

Serving his seventh term in the United States House of Representatives, representing Northeast Ohio’s 14th Congressional District. Prior to his election, he served from 1989 to 1995 as the Lake County Prosecutor. In 1990, he was named Prosecuting Attorney of the Year in Ohio.
Official Website

Need for Change

We support Congress in their fight for the Bill for Increasing Education Oppertunities for Nurses and Nurse Faculty Act of 2007 because nurses play a critical role in the health care delivery system. This shortage can be detrimental to the health and well being of patients and the proper function of health care systems all over the United States.
This is evidenced by several statistics: It is estimated between 44,000 to 98,000 patients die as a result of medical errors each year and a primary reason for this is the shortage of Registered Nurses (RN) in the United States. In 2002, the Joint Commission found that for roughly a quarter (24 percent) of hospital patient deaths and injuries, low nurse staffing levels was a contributing factor. In April 2006, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) predicted that the nation's nursing shortage would grow to more than one million nurses by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing report on 2006-2007 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, U.S. nursing schools turned away 42,866 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2006 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints. The 2006 National League for Nursing report stated that nurse faculty vacancies continued to grow with 1,390 as the estimated number of budgeted, unfilled, full-time positions countrywide in 2006. In our country there is an estimated 78 million baby boomers that are going to require health care services, making this shortage even more of a crisis.
(GovTrack.US)