Webinar March 6, 2013
Katerina Raiser
NSNA Director 2013-2014
Chair Legislation/Education
Committee

• Help students better understand the legislative and political process.
• Educate on how it affects nursing.
• Give guidance on what NSNA, state, and school associations can do.
• Show what you can do.

• 250,000 nursing students.
• 3.1 million practicing nurses.
• Nursing is most trusted profession.
• Large impact on the healthcare and public policies in our country.
• The truth is that nurses are viewed as the silent majority.
• Fall far behind that of government officials, insurance companies, pharmaceutical executives and others.

• Educate about legislation by promoting communication between members and their legislators to encourage participation in the legislative process.
• Further educate and gain support for newly passed resolutions.
• Encourage members to review past resolutions for a better understanding of NSNA policies.

• Guidelines booklet update!
• Memos 5 times.
• Articles in Imprint.
• Roundtable discussion at the MidYear
Conference as well as a workshop about health policy that had 2 guest speakers.
• Association activity seminar at Annual
Convention.
• Available to help state and school associations better understand legislative issues, the political process, and health policy.

• All of the resolutions passed by the House of
Delegates are given to the board committees according to their topic and where they fit within the committee system.
• Leg/Ed’s focus this year on:
In Support of Increasing Education on Health Policy In Nursing
Curricula
In Support of Revising the Food and Drug Administration’s Policy that Bans the Donation of Blood Products from Any Man Who
Has Had Sex With Another Man (MSM)
In Support of Increased Awareness of Expanded Testing
Recommendations for the Identification of Hepatitis C Virus
Infection Among the 1945-1965 Birth Cohort (Baby Boomers)
In Support of Awareness and Education on Joining Forces, and
Nursing Education on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) And Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD

• NSNA monitors federal legislation and policy making.
• NSNA maintains close working relationships with the legislative staffs of the ANA and other associations.
• NSNA does not have a political action committee or PAC.
• We educate our members to make wise choices when they vote, we encourage everyone to vote, and stay informed.

“I’m Just a Bill” Schoolhouse Rock video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag

Stay up-to-date on Health Care related Bills currently going through Congress.
Easy to use resources: https://www.govtrack.us/ http://beta.congress.gov/ http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategori es/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/Ta bleofContents/Volume122007/No1Jan07/tpc3
2_216091.html

Use the ANA website to see if your State
ANA Nurses Association is already active/holding events involving legislative initiatives that you can join in on. http://www.nursingworld.org/SNAS.aspx
Look into your State Action Coalitions http://campaignforaction.org/about-us http://www.rnaction.org/site/PageNavigator/n stat_gova_about_us

• Pick a topic that interests your chapter.
• See if NSNA has a position on the topic http://www.nsna.org/Resolutions/NSNAResolutions.aspx.
If not, write a resolution on the position you want
NSNA to take on the issue.
• Decide on a project related to the topic.
• Hold events to help education on the topic or raise awareness for it.
• See if your state Future of Nursing Action
Coalition needs meeting space near your campus

• Pick a project that will educate nurses and nursing students about legislation that impacts the nursing profession and the delivery of nursing services to the public.
• Choose a topic that is interesting to you.
• For ideas look at NSNA resolutions http://www.nsna.org/Resolutions/NSNAResolutions.aspx
and bills that are currently going through
Congress: https://www.govtrack.us/
• Use the project to increase awareness of legislative matters on the local, state, and national levels.

Submitting a project for and NSNA Award
• Deadline: March 14, 2014
• Applications can be submitted online at http://nsnaawards.weebly.com/legislationeducation.html
• Awards and Prizes:
– State Level: $100.00
– School Level: $100.00

Use the NLN’s website to look up your representatives from the federal government all the way to your local town representatives. This website allows you to send emails directly from the cite and also provides their contact information. Don’t hesitate to write them a letter or to give them a call personally! http://capwiz.com/nln/dbq/officials/
For examples of how to write to a representative see the NSNA Guidelines for Planning:
Legislative Activities http://www.nsna.org/Portals/0/Skins/NSNA/pdf/L egislative%20Activities%202013_14_FINAL.pdf

Legislation/Education Committee web page: http://www.nsna.org/ProgramActivities/Legisl ationEducation.aspx
Guidelines for Planning: Legislative
Activities: http://www.nsna.org/Portals/0/Skins/NSNA/p df/Legislative%20Activities%202013_14_F
INAL.pdf

• NSNA Legislation/Education Committee webpage: http://www.nsna.org/ProgramActivities/Legisl ationEducation.aspx
• My NSNA Facebook page: r https://www.facebook.com/kraisernsnadirecto
• Email me at: directore@nsna.org