Your time is valuable and frequentl...

Your time is valuable and frequently stretched to the limit. As dedicated, hard-working succors striving to provide quality care to your patients, caring for your family and friends, tending to community and other activities, it may appear to be that there is little time left for political involvement. The decisions and processe in Washington, DC present the appearance far removed from your hospital or surgicenter, and there may not pretend to be much point in devoting precious time and vigor to something that has little import on your daily life.

Now, more than forever however, the health care scheme is changing so rapidly and dramatically that each nurse cannot help but diocese and feel the effects. Although many of these changes are the issues of local market influences, a religious part of this health care revolution is being driven from Capitol Hill--by your picked legislators. Congress is making decisions about Medicare, managed care, nursing education, and a landlord of other issues that affect the professional life of each feed in the country. These issues will not conclusion this year but will continue to be a topic of consideration in Congres in the foreseeable future

likewise whether you participate in the proces provide input, or become involved, the proces will influence forward with or without you and will make a crucial, life-changing impact in succession your profession. This is for what cause [i]or[/i] reason each and every nurse wants to become politically active. As Dwight D Eisenhower formerly said, "Politics should be the part-time profession of each citizen."

UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL REALITY

As you know, AORN has been striving to reintroduce legislation that would provide for direct Medicare reimbursement for RN first assistants (RNFAs). When searching for a sponsor for RNFA legislation, we are faced with a political realities. First, the general mastery of thumb is that a legislator who sits forward a committee of jurisdiction will have the best chance of forwarding this legislation after introduction. Our efforts, therefore, must be targeted to members of those committees, namely the Senate Finance Committee, the House sexual Committee, and potentially the House Ways and Means Committee. other the political reality is that the Republican Party publicly controls Congress. As the majority party, they manage committees and their legislative agendas. It is in our best interest to find a Republican sponsor to introduce the bill. The support of Democrats will be important down the road, on the contrary our sponsor needs to be a Republican.

Faced with these realities, our target list for a bill sponsor narrows considerably to Republican members of the three committees of jurisdiction listed above. This is where we have already begun our fight. Starting with the RNFA Lobby Day in September 1997 legislators of the 105th Congres began to hear about the issue of direct Medicare reimbursement for RNFAs. There are numerous RNFAs who have continued to spread the word back residence by meeting with their federal legislators or by way of initiating grassroots efforts to toss letters to Capitol Hill. We have solitary just begun, however, and we ne your help.

BECOME A SQUEAKY WHEEL

It may appear to be that if a certain proposal is logical, fair, or just the right thing to do, then Congres eventually will implement it. This brings us to the third political reality that we must face. Just because something is logical, fair, and right does not make it in like manner in Washington. Capitol Hill operates by way of another set of rules. onward "the Hill," logic or fairness does not necessarily guarantee action. In Washington, it is the squeaky wheel that wins the grease, and you have to squeak extended and loud before someone will pay attention.

likewise what can you do to help in this effort? If you reside in the district or state of those legislators that sit in succession committees of jurisdiction, you are upon the first line of attack. These are the legislators we must convince before anyone besides If your legislator is not in succession a relevant committee, it is still important that you begin the education proces now, before the eleventh hour when we may ne a ballot That way, your legislator will already be familiar with RNFAs and their issues, and last minute education will not be necessary.

STICK WITH THE CAUSE

Whether or not your senator or representative sits onward a relevant committee, you begin by dint of writing and calling on a regular basis. You can start from sending him or her information about RNFAs and the ne for legislation. Encourage your surgeon counterpart nurses, hospital administrators, patients, neighbors, or anyone other to write letters on the RNFA reimbursement issue. tread in the steps of up with another letter or a telephone call a not many weeks later, offering further information and inquiring whether the office has made a decision about sponsoring RNFA legislation. furnish your services to the office as a health care "expert" and describe the health aide that he or she can call you for opinions about to what extent health care really works back in the abode district.

run after up again with the district office in your dwelling state by making an appointment and introducing yourself to the staff members. propose to stuff envelopes in the upcoming campaign, or offer to be placed on the mailing list for subsequent time town hall meetings or other political adventures Encourage other RNFAs to attend local adventures with you, and make a point to speak to the legislator and his or her staff members at each opportunity to thank them for their support of RNFA issues.