But when they weren\'t demanding federal action, they welcomed Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., for one of her first major speeches since she suspended her presidential campaign. The 157,000-member union backed Clinton during the primaries. It has made no decision yet in the general election race between Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., their parties\' presumed nominees.
In a statement from the convention, the union said it looked forward to "discussing various issues" of concern to nurses with both hopefuls. They include "safe and appropriate staffing," union President Rebecca Patton said. Other issues include health care system reform, covering the uninsured and the role of nurses in the system.
But health and safety on the job, particularly the injuries from dirty and used needles, took front and center at the convention, as ANA released its third annual comprehensive survey of nurses on the issue. It polled 700 nurses.
"Although the 2000 Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act mandates institutions conduct annual product reviews" of needles and how to prevent needlestick injuries "and that nurses be involved in the decision-making process, two-thirds (66%) of nurses state they do not have the opportunity to influence the selection of sharps safety devi-ces in their workplace, compared to 58% in 2007 and 57% in 2006," the survey said.
And 64% say needlestick injuries and blood-borne infections are still major concerns, while 55% believe their workplace safety climate negatively impacts their own personal safety, the survey added.
"An overwhelming majority of nurses — 87% — say safety concerns influence their decisions about the type of nursing they do and their continued practice in the field. This study exemplifies the serious concerns expressed by nurses across the country —concerns that may prompt nurses to leave the bedside, exacerbating the growing nurse shortage," Patton added. "To enhance the safety climate of all healthcare workers, improvements need to be made to the workplace environment and staffing levels."
The survey also found 89% of nurses suffer increasing workloads, and 84% report rising stress, and that both impact workplace safety. The pressure is such that 59% of nurses "feel the need to work faster, even if it means taking shortcuts." Asked if they put patient care first before their own personal safety at work, 82% said \'yes.\'
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
But when they weren\’t demanding federal action, they welcomed Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., for one of her first major speeches since she suspended her presidential campaign. The 157,000-member union backed Clinton during the primaries. It has made no decision yet in the general election race between Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., their parties\’ presumed nominees.
In a statement from the convention, the union said it looked forward to "discussing various issues" of concern to nurses with both hopefuls. They include "safe and appropriate staffing," union President Rebecca Patton said. Other issues include health care system reform, covering the uninsured and the role of nurses in the system.
But health and safety on the job, particularly the injuries from dirty and used needles, took front and center at the convention, as ANA released its third annual comprehensive survey of nurses on the issue. It polled 700 nurses.
"Although the 2000 Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act mandates institutions conduct annual product reviews" of needles and how to prevent needlestick injuries "and that nurses be involved in the decision-making process, two-thirds (66%) of nurses state they do not have the opportunity to influence the selection of sharps safety devi-ces in their workplace, compared to 58% in 2007 and 57% in 2006," the survey said.
And 64% say needlestick injuries and blood-borne infections are still major concerns, while 55% believe their workplace safety climate negatively impacts their own personal safety, the survey added.
"An overwhelming majority of nurses — 87% — say safety concerns influence their decisions about the type of nursing they do and their continued practice in the field. This study exemplifies the serious concerns expressed by nurses across the country —concerns that may prompt nurses to leave the bedside, exacerbating the growing nurse shortage," Patton added. "To enhance the safety climate of all healthcare workers, improvements need to be made to the workplace environment and staffing levels."
The survey also found 89% of nurses suffer increasing workloads, and 84% report rising stress, and that both impact workplace safety. The pressure is such that 59% of nurses "feel the need to work faster, even if it means taking shortcuts." Asked if they put patient care first before their own personal safety at work, 82% said \’yes.\’
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.