reply 1
Congressional representative Lois Capp served as 24thCalifornia’s congressional district representative for the period 1998-2017. Ever since her election, she was a great vocalist of nursing and healthcare issues. She made tireless efforts advocating for improvement in healthcare and need to capitalize nursing profession hence recognized by American nurse association (Tate, 2018). During her term as a congressional representative she passed and sponsored several bills among them was the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act, improving the healthy safety and outcome of patients by ensuring there is sufficient staffing of nurses in hospitals.
The bill required all hospitals to establish a panel unit-by-unit adjusting nurse staffing plans based on underlying factors. This created awareness about ways nurses need to improve healthcare for all. Lois is also remembered for passing Nurse Reinvestment Act in 2002, the passed act amended title Viii of the public health act used for funding nurse education and workforce development program (Farmer, 2017). Essentially, the act is meant to address nursing shortage. Capps advocated for improved medical coverage for patients suffering from Luo Gehrig’s disease providing emergency deliberators to local community and improve mental health. In addition, she also measure ratified ensuring integrity of medical devices.
References
Tate, K. (2018). Black faces in the mirror: African Americans and their representatives in the US Congress. Princeton University Press.
Farmer, A. D. (2017). Remaking Black power: How Black women transformed an era. UNC Press Books.
reply2
Mary Ann Dailey, a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania graduated from Presbyterian University Hospital School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pa, in 1969. In 1992 she received her Ph.D in Nursing from Widener University. She was elected as a Republican to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1999. Ms. Dailey has always felt there should be a pathway linking Politics to Nursing. She feels the day to day duties of a Nurse are directly affected by legislature and being involved with politics as a Nurse can only influence law in a positive direction. Ms. Dailey’s contributions have been the following: a bill which allows Nurse Practitioners to prescribe medications under their scope of practice, assisting unlicensed personnel achieve success at a job with better education and opportunities and a policy for unethical situations that warrant reporting but hospital personnel potentially afraid to report. Nurse practitioners do prescribe medications under their scope and even narcotic prescriptions in most states. Unlicensed personnel, such as medical assistants are more informed and play a needed role in patient care. They are being included as a integral part of the patients’ care. As far as reporting unethical or not acceptable situations, most facilities have an anonymous reporting system which is monitored and followed up.
It is interesting to read about a Nurse who then went on to become part of a Political Party and involved with legislation. Ms. Dailey was ahead of her time as she obtained her BSN back in the 60’s AND Ph. D in the 90’S from her generation, Ms. Dailey is correct in saying the laws do affect nurses. This has sparked an interest to follow these political figures who represent nursing. There are so many varied issues, that we, as nurses, could address. This is not really discussed as much as it could be, in Nursing school. Nursing is so encompassing, however, I don’t think one can really think of too many other things early on. But as we continue along in our careers, there are many different and simple ways we can get involved.
Reference
Larson,J 2016 Nurse Legislators: Representing Health Care in State Government Nurse.com
