ANA Nurses Answer Call To Support Obama's Stand For Health Care Reform

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 11 Sep 2009 - 7:00 PDT

Current ratings for:
'ANA Nurses Answer Call To Support Obama's Stand For Health Care Reform'

Patient / Public:not yet rated

Healthcare Prof:5 stars

5 (3 votes)


Members of the American Nurses Association (ANA) joined President Obama today to demonstrate their strong support for the President and his speech to the joint session of the U.S. Congress last night urging action on health reform that would provide more security and stability to those with health insurance and guarantee access to affordable health care for those without it.

Registered nurses traveled to the White House event from as far away as California and Washington State to emphasize that further delay signals acceptance of an intolerable status quo that leaves too many people without basic access to needed health services and that endangers the financial stability of families, employers, and the government.

ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR praised President Obama at his first public appearance on health care reform since addressing Congress for advocating for people who lack access to basic health care services in the nation's "broken system" and for fighting for consumer protections in the health insurance market. Long ranked as the nation's most trusted profession by Gallup's annual survey, nursing has advocated for health system reform for two decades.

"As nurses, every day we see first-hand the heart-breaking consequences of our nation's flawed system," Patton said. "We see patients in danger when they can't access or afford the care they need. We hold a patient's hand when they learn that their health insurance coverage has been denied or cancelled. And we see the day-to-day human cost of this system -- in the eyes of our patients and their families."

ANA values patient choice and believes that a public health insurance plan should be an option in the proposed insurance marketplace Exchange. It addresses the absolute necessity of providing broader choice for patients, while increasing affordability, fostering robust marketplace competition, and ensuring access to services. Particularly in a proposal where everyone would be required by law to have insurance, the absence of a public plan option would leave people with limited choices or leverage. People deserve a choice and a chance for peace of mind regarding their health and that of their families.

President Obama complimented registered nurses for their compassion, dedication and professionalism, citing his work with the profession as a legislator to improve the health care system and his personal experiences with nurses who cared for his family members during serious illnesses.

"You're the bedrock of our medical profession," President Obama said. "You're on the frontlines of health care in small clinics and in large hospitals in rural towns and big cities all across this country. So, few people understand as well as you why today's health care system so badly needs reform."

ANA is encouraging its members to get involved in the health care reform effort and to contact their representatives in Congress to tell their personal stories and urge action this year through its dedicated Web page, http://www.RNaction.org/healthcare.

Source
American Nurses Association

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Visit our public health section for the latest news on this subject.
There are no references listed for this article.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA
American Nurses Association. "ANA Nurses Answer Call To Support Obama's Stand For Health Care Reform." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 11 Sep. 2009. Web.
25 May. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/163690.php>

APA
American Nurses Association. (2009, September 11). "ANA Nurses Answer Call To Support Obama's Stand For Health Care Reform." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/163690.php.

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.



Add Your Opinion On This Article

'ANA Nurses Answer Call To Support Obama's Stand For Health Care Reform'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Your Name:*
E-mail Address:*
Your Opinion Title:*
Opinion:*
This is to help prevent SPAM submissions. Please enter the words exactly as they appear, including capital letters and punctuation.*

* Fields marked with a * need to be filled in before you hit the submit button.

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.


Public Health

Tips For Healthy Flying

There was a time when jumping on a plane was a relatively easy thing to do (assuming you had the money). But today's flying experience is often more of an ordeal than a pleasure. Read more...

Do You Know What Drowning Looks Like?

If you and your family are planning to spend some of the summer by the sea, by the pool, or perhaps even a river or lake, perhaps you should ask yourself: do you really know what drowning looks like? Read more...

Most Popular Articles





Follow Our Public Health News On Twitter

Follow Us On Twitter
Get the latest news for this category delivered straight to your Twitter account. Simply visit our Public Health Twitter account and select the 'follow' option.



View list of all 'What Is...' articles »