Passage of the 'Nurse Reinvestment Act,' nursing shortage, receive major media attention

by Carol Cooke

Blakeney named among '100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare' by Modern Healthcare

ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP, was named to Modern Healthcare's inaugural list of the "100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare." The cover story in the Aug. 26 issue said that nurse staffing has grown into "an essential issue for hospitals around the country... [that has] elevated the political clout of nurses' organizations." The story went on to note that Blakeney was among those invited to President Bush's special economic forum in Waco, TX, on Aug. 13 (see story, page 3). The story said Blakeney led the list's "well- recognized nursing officials who are on the frontlines of a national staffing crisis that has captured the rapt attention of the entire industry." Blakeney ranked No. 34 on the list and ANA Immediate Past President Mary Foley, MS, RN, ranked No. 54. The list was based on more than 2,100 votes cast over the Internet during a 17-day voting period in July.

'Nurse Reinvestment Act' supporters hold Capitol Hill press conference

ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP, took part in a press conference on Capitol Hill July 24 to mark congressional passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act, which promises to boost the nursing profession and help stem the nation's nursing shortage through educational scholarships, grants, loan cancellations and a public service campaign aimed at drawing more people into the profession. Also speaking at the crowded Capitol Hill event were Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), and Representatives W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-LA) and Lois Capps (D-CA). Passage of the bill also prompted Blakeney interviews with David Broder, the top political reporter for The Washington Post and Post reporter Sheryl Silver. The Broder column, titled, "The Nursing Bill: A Quiet Triumph," ran Aug. 7. The Silver article, ran Aug. 4 in the Healthcare Jobs section under the title, "Nurse Reinvestment Act Addresses Recruitment and Retention."

Blakeney was also invited to President Bush's signing of the legislation into law at a White House ceremony Aug. 1.

Increased interest in the nursing shortage and other nurse staffing issues also led to interviews for Blakeney with Good Housekeeping magazine and Reader's Digest. The Good Housekeeping article will appear in the October issue.

JCAHO report spurs coverage

On Aug. 7, the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), released a report titled Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Addressing the Evolving Nursing Crisis. The report said, "The impending crisis in nurse staffing has the potential to impact the very health and security of our society if definitive steps are not taken to address its underlying causes." The report's No. 1 recommendation to address the growing nursing shortage is to "adopt the characteristics of Magnet hospitals to foster a workplace that empowers and is respectful of nursing staff." Taking part in a telephone news conference the day of the report's release was ANA Immediate Past President Mary Foley, MS, RN, who had presented to the nurse staffing roundtable that prepared the report. Foley also was quoted in a Aug. 8 article in The New York Times, following the report's release. ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP, was interviewed by CNN-Radio and the Chicago Tribune about the JCAHO report findings and ANA Chief Executive Officer, Linda J. Stierle, MSN, RN, CNAA,BC, was interviewed by the ABC affiliate in Washington, DC. CMAs also were busy answering reporters' questions after release of the report. Illinois Nurses Association President Mary Maryland, PhD, RN, APN, New Hampshire Nurses Association President Susan Fetzer, PhD, RN, and Georgia Nurses Association Chief Executive Officer Debbie Hatmaker, PhD, RN, SANE-A, all were interviewed by their local ABC-TV affiliates on the nursing shortage in their areas.

Manton named to Family Circle Health and Medical Advisory Board

Family Circle Magazine recently became the first major consumer magazine to name an RN to its advisory board, when it invited Anne P. Manton, PhD, RN, FAAN, to join its Health and Medical Advisory Board. Manton is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT, a member of the Connecticut Nurses Association, and a co-chair of the Nursing Organizations Liaison Forum (NOLF). She has more than 25 years of experience as an emergency nurse, in addition to experience in the operating room and post-anesthesia care unit. Manton was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) last year and has written for numerous publications in the field of nursing.

"It's an honor to be included on this prestigious advisory panel," Dr. Manton said. "It gives me the opportunity to offer the nurses' perspective to stories that will be read by millions of American women and their families," she added. Family Circle is a general interest women's magazine with a circulation of more than 5 million and was the first among women's service magazines to develop its own medical advisory board. Other members of the board include renowned child development specialist T. Berry Brazelton, MD, and heart surgeon Michael E. DeBakey, MD.

Family Circle decided to add an RN to the current advisory board of nine doctors and one pharmacist in response to letters from nurse readers. "We commend Family Circle for bringing nursing's view to its advisory board," said ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP. She encouraged other consumer magazines to do likewise, giving their readers a broader perspective on health and health care issues.

ANA involved in media awareness campaign on childhood immunization

ANA has joined with the American College of Nurse Practitioners and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners to launch a media awareness campaign on childhood immunization. Media materials, including a news release, video news release and radio news release -- all with quotes or soundbites from ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP -- were distributed nationally Aug. 29.

A new survey shows that, although 85 percent of new and expectant parents say they know which and how many immunizations their children need to receive, these same parents are confused and anxious when it comes to their child's immunizations. More than 50 percent of the 1,000 parents who participated in the survey could not identify which diseases immunizations protect against. They also were unaware of the number of immunizations their child is recommended to receive during the first two years of life. Final materials on the immunization media campaign are available on ANA's Web site, www.NursingWorld.org.

Carol Cooke is a senior public relations specialist with ANA.