Meet the Candidates 2004

Alabama Nurse,  Jun-Aug 2005  

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Commission on Professional Issues (Vote for 4)

Mary Battaglia, MSN, RN

District 5

Present Position: Assistant Professor, Troy University School of Nursing

ASNA Activities:

Statement of Qualifications: I am a nursing advocate and I am cognizant of issues that effect the nursing profession. So many issues need to be addressed and acted upon. As a nursing instructor I meet and influence the way future nurses will act and practice.

Views of the Issues: The nursing shortage is of course a subject that, is well known and understood among nurses but not among the lay public. We need to be presenting programs to the public through churches and civic groups and let them all know how the nursing shortage will effect their health and recovery after and during hospitalization. We as nurses need to be more visible and have a stronger impact on the public. The importance of nursing needs to be stressed in school at all levels. We need to start a grassroots recruitment initiative to get young people interested in our profession and wanting to become part of our profession.

The main issue facing the Alabama Nurses Association is increasing our membership to include at least 75% of all nurses licensed in Alabama. They must be made aware of the benefits of membership. This needs to start while the perspective nurse is in college. We need to target nursing schools throughout the state offering a decreased membership fee while in school and then for one year after graduation. The biggest issue facing nursing in the 21st century is our decreasing number. This problem is well known and understood among nurses but not the general public. We need to be presenting programs to the public through churches and civic groups explaining how the nursing shortage effects all aspects of their health care. We need to raise their level of awareness regarding what effects the nursing shortage plays on their health and recovery after and during hospitalization. We as nurses need to be more visible on television news shows, and radio talk shows. We need to continue to educate the uninformed public on the need to increase funding for nurses through federal dollars and state money. We need a concerted effort to enter schools in Alabama and begin to inform students on the benefits of continuing their education in the field of nursing. We need to be proud of our profession at all times and never waiver in our commitment to nursing.

Cordelia C. Nnedu, PhD, RNC, ARNP, MSN

District 5

Present Position: Associate Professor and Assistant Director, Tuskegee Institute

ASNA Activities:

Statement of Qualifications: I am primarily a dedicated nurse and issues concerning the profession of nursing is very dear to my heart. As a nurse educator, these issues are addressed in all my courses. I am an ANA member for over 25 years, member of AWHONN and NPWH for over 10 years. Active R.N. licensure in four states.

Views of the Issues: The nursing shortage has been attributed to a number of factors; for example, aging workforce, decrease in the number of nursing faculty and image concerns. ASNA can assist in solving the workforce shortage by advocating for adequate nurse staffing being visible. The Association can also help in boosting the morale of nurses by being more noticeable. We need to work on an agenda to recruit and retain nurses.