NJSNA Gets the Job Done

New Jersey Nurse, Jul/Aug 2004

This marks the third year Constituent Member Associations (CMAs) and ANA are working in concert to implement a Nationwide State Legislative Agenda on Staffing that focuses on prohibition of mandatory overtime; mandatory development and implementation of valid and reliable nurse staffing systems; whistleblower protections for nurses who want to report unsafe conditions without retribution; mandatory collection of nursing supply and demand data for state nursing workforce projections; collection and public reporting of nursing-sensitive quality data related to RN staffing and patient outcomes; and funding for nursing education. As of December, 2003, state legislators have responded with the establishment of new laws in the following states and ANA Staffing Agenda categories:

PROHIBITION OF MANDATORY OVERTIME

Enacted: CA [regulations], ME, MD, MN, NJ, OR, TX [regulations], WA, WV

NURSE STAFFING PLANS

Enacted: CA [regulations], FL, KY, NV [regulations], TX [regulations], OR, VA

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

Enacted: AZ, CA, FL (public employees), IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TX, UT (all employers), VA, WV, WI

COLLECTION OF NURSING WORKFORCE DATA

Enacted: FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, KY, MD, ME, MS, NE, ND, NJ, NY, OK, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV

NURSING QUALITY INDICATORS

Enacted: CT, NJ [regulations], FL, RI, TX [regulations]

FUNDING FOR NURSING EDUCATION

Enacted: AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, NE, NH, NV, OR, RI, SD, TX, VA, WV, WY