LEGISLATIVE DAY 2008 FROM A STUDENTS POINT OF VIEW:

 

On February 3, 2008 a group of nursing students and faculty from eastern Washington traveled to Olympia to participate in the Annual WSNA Nurse Legislative Day.

 

Four years ago, Dr. Terry Buxton, an instructor at the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, organized the first trip to Olympia, which included only five nursing students. Each year the trip has grown. This year there were forty-eight students from Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Yakima, representing the ADN, BSN, RN-BSN, and ARNP programs. There were also five faculty members from ICN Spokane, WSU Tri Cities, and Spokane Community College. These students and faculty demonstrated their desire to make a difference in the nursing profession by speaking out as one voice to their legislators.

 

During this year's short 60-day session, Legislature will be addressing a variety of bills related to healthcare. The "Patient Safety Act" is a bill that will require hospitals to form staffing committees to regulate how many patients a nurse can safely manage. Another bill seeks to remove the 72-hour scheduled drug dispensing limitation for ARNPs. Other bills addressed issues such as mandatory overtime and funding for nursing education. This trip was a valuable experience for all who attended.

 

By Kevin Reed