Marching Orders for the New President

The election is (finally) over and the people have spoken. That includes many nurses who have a wish list for the Barack Obama administration.

“We’re going to be working very hard to make sure nurses stay engaged and that they will be in touch with elected officials,” said Michelle Artz, associate director, government affairs, for the American Nurses Association. “It will be a challenge, considering other issues facing the nation now.”

The ANA is optimistic that nurses’ concerns will be heard because in past years, Obama has come through on issues close to their hearts.

“President-elect Barack Obama has been a consistent champion of America’s nurses,” the ANA said in a statement released the day after the election. “As an Illinois state senator, and as a U.S. senator, Barack Obama has shown a commitment to advancing the nursing profession which will undoubtedly continue as he assumes the highest office in the nation. Barack Obama has promised to work toward improving working conditions for nurses, including limiting mandatory overtime, improving nurse-to-patient ratios, providing additional support to training and incentive programs, and continuing to recognize and support nurses’ right to organize.”

Other issues that nurse-lobbyists will be working hard to keep on legislators’ front burners include universal health care; the nurse shortage; barriers to advanced practice nurses and funding for Title VIII, which provides for scholarships, loans, loan repayment and financial incentives for students and nurse faculty.

“We want to make sure these issues remain on the table,” Artz said, “that nurses remain engaged and in touch with each other.”

The ANA, which says it represents the interests of the country’s 2.9 million RNs, endorsed Obama after “a very deliberate, non-partisan process and only after careful consideration of a variety of factors including: candidate positions and past records on nursing and health care issues; candidate viability in the election; the relationship the candidate has with ANA members and staff; and the feedback of individual ANA/CMA members,” according to association’s online political newsletter.

ANA’s pre-election online nurses’ poll found that 64 percent of the respondents supported Obama; 36 percent backed John McCain.

Are you happy with the results of this election?

What do you think are the most important issues facing nurses in the upcoming years?

What can nurses do in the political arena to promote their interests?

Tell us what you think.