FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2001
CONTACT:
Cindy Price, 202-651-7038
Connie Helmlinger,, 202-651-7024
rn=realnews@ana.org
www.nursingworld.org/rnrealnews
American Nurses Association Applauds Introduction of Nurse Retention and Quality of Care Act 2001
Washington, DC --The American Nurses Association (ANA) applauds Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) for the introduction of the Nurse Retention and Quality of Care Act of 2001 to address the current crisis in nurse staffing and the emerging nursing shortage.
The ANA believes that a major contributing factor to the current and emerging nursing shortage is dissatisfaction with the work environment. The Congressional Research Service, General Accounting Office, academic research and recent ANA surveys of American nurses have all revealed startling levels of frustration with working conditions. This dissatisfaction is leading experienced nurses to leave the bedside and is hindering recruitment efforts into the profession.
The legislation will provide grants to health care organizations to allow them to develop and implement model practices that have been identified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of ANA, as ways to make the workplace attractive for nurses. The ANCC recognizes facilities that have met these best practices by granting the "Magnet" designation. Magnet facilities have consistently outperformed their peers in nursing services, even in times of national nursing shortages.
"Average nurse retention in Magnet facilities is twice as long as that of non-Magnet institutions," said ANCC President Cecilia Mulvey, PhD, RN. "More important, patients in Magnet facilities experience fewer negative outcomes, shorter lengths of stay, and increased satisfaction with their health care services. This legislation builds on model practices with a proven track record."
"ANA is pleased to endorse the efforts of Senators Clinton and Smith to further implement these proven best practices through the Nurse Retention and Quality of Care Act," said ANA president Mary E. Foley, MS, RN. "At a time when nurses are in great demand, it is critical that we bolster the nursing workforce by adopting and developing models that we know already work."
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The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million Registered Nurses through its constituent member nurses associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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