ONA in Action!

Ohio Nurses Association Announces Endorsed Candidates for November 2010 General Election

The ONA-PCE selects candidates based on their support of nursing and other healthcare issues.  “ONA-endorsed candidates were chosen because of their support for nursing issues and their search for positive solutions for healthcare,” said Jeri Milstead RN, chair of the ONA-PCE. “We are pleased to be able to urge nurses and others to vote for them on November 2nd,” Milstead said.  Click here to view the press release.

ONA, OAAPN Members Rally at the Statehouse

On May 11, 2010, members from the Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses came together at the Statehouse to show support of the passage of HB 206 - the Advanced Pratice Nurse Schedule II Bill.  Currently, APNs have limited prescribing authority with schedule II drugs, even though they have full authority with schedules III, IV, and V.  APNs have advanced degrees (master's or doctorates) that include advanced pharmacology and hours of clinical experience.  They are also mandated by law to take 46 contact hours of pharmacology continuing education every two years, making APNs more than qualified to exercise their prescriptive authority to the fullest. 

Ohio Nurses Association Meets with Governor Strickland

How many times do you have a chance to talk directly with the Governor about nursing issues?  On March 31st, through the efforts of ONA’s Health Policy team, six ONA members had the opportunity to talk for an hour with Gov. Ted Strickland about nursing and nurses’ issues.  We were able to inform him about how violence in the workplace affects nurses and advocate for passage of HB 450.  We discussed the nurse shortage and its implications on safe patient care.  We noted how the shortage of nurse faculty members and lack of clinical placement sites severely limit the ability of educational programs to prepare the number of nurses that will be needed to fill future demand.  Finally, we discussed the important role nurses play in all areas of health care, particularly in light of health care reform initiatives.  Efforts to reform health care will be successful only if nurses are utilized to the full extent of their knowledge, skills and abilities.  This includes recognition of the role advanced practice nurses play in filling the gaps created by the shortage of primary care providers.  

Ohio Nurses Association Works with Legislators on HB 457 to Address the Nurse Faculty Shortage

The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) has been working closely with Representatives Jay Goyal (D-Mansfield) and James Zehringer (R-Fort Recovery) to help address the shortage of nurse faculty members.

HB 457 will eliminate a barrier for nurses with advanced degrees who wish to serve as faculty members while also pursuing a certificate to prescribe. Unlike other states, under Ohio’s current law, nurses must complete a 1500-hour supervised externship in one year with an option for a one year extension in order to obtain prescriptive authority. While nursing education program administrators want their faculty to maintain a clinical presence, they can offer only limited release time for that purpose. Consequently, faculty members are not able to complete the externship hours within the allotted time period, and many nurse educators have been forced to give up their faculty positions.

Click Here to read the press release.

 Ohio Nurses Association Supports Bill to Prevent Violence Agaisnt Nurses

The Ohio Nurses Association applauds the introduction of House Bill 450 (HB 450) on February 11, 2010, sponsored by State Representatives Denise Driehaus (D-Columbus) and Linda S. Bolon (D-Columbiana). The bill will increase the penalty for assault when the victim is a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse engaged in the performance of official duties whom the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse.

Click Here to read the press release.

Governor Strickland Signs Senate Bill 89 Into Effect

Senator Sue Morano's Comprehensive Nursing Education Bill (SB89) has officially been signed by the Governor.  The new bill requires that the Ohio Board of Regents to examine how it can better improve nursing education.  The bill will also permit out-of-state nurses who have already received training and authority to write prescriptions to do the same in Ohio without duplicative training.

To read more about SB89, visit the links below.

The Plain Dealer Article

Press Release from Senator Sue Morano

ONA, Representative Driehaus Working on Bill to Make Assaulting a Nurse a Felony

ONA is working with Representative Driehuas to make assualting a nurse a felony offense.  Such assualts now are classified as a midemeanor.  Driehaus will push to change this to a fourth-degree felony, which can carry fines of up to $5,000 and prison time of up to 18 months. 

Click Here to read the article from the Business Courier of Cincinnati

ONA's Legislator of the Year

The Ohio Nurses Association is proud to announce that Senator Jim Hughes, District 16, has been named Ohio Nurses Association’s Legislator of the Year.

The award is presented to an outstanding legislator who has demonstrated a true commitment to public service and concern for issues of importance to nurses and nursing.
Senator Hughes was chosen due in part to his support of House Bill 346, Ohio’s Safe Nurse Staffing legislation.

“When ONA approached Senator Hughes about sponsoring the bill, we were not sure of the reception we would receive because we knew the bill could be controversial,” said Dottie Marsh, Chair of ONA’s Health Policy Council. “Senator Hughes immediately embraced the bill’s concepts and became its greatest champion among his fellow lawmakers.”

Thanks to Senator Hughes’ efforts, the bill became law in December 2008. 

In addition to his work on behalf of Ohio’s nurses and patients, Senator Hughes received a Health Advocate Award from Children’s Hospital, and was recognized as a Friend of Education and for his support of law enforcement personnel. 

Senator Hughes accepted the award at the Ohio Nurses Association’s Biennial Convention in Independence, Ohio on October 17, 2009.

Legislators Visit ONA

On September 29, Senators Bill Harris, Tom Niehaus and John Carey and Representatives Jay Goyal, Armond Budish, Allan Sayre, and Linda Bolan, came to ONA for a reception with our Health Policy Council.  The Council used this opportunity to tell the legislators about issues that are important to nursing and to show that nurses can be knowledgable legislative partners. 

ONA Joins Mary Jo Kilroy for Health Care Roundtable

On Monday June 22nd several members of ONA participated in a healthcare roundtable hosted by Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy. The purpose of the event was to hear from practicing nurses and other medical professionals out in the field about their ideas and share some of the potential reforms being debated in Washington.

Below is a link to Congresswoman Kilroy’s website supporting our nurses!

http://kilroy.house.gov/media/healthcare.shtml

Thanks to all of our members who were able to participate!