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This week is National Nurses Week. In honor of this week, let
us all take a moment to recognize and honor the tireless efforts and crucial
role that nurses play in the health and well being of our communities across
America. Nurses, like my late grandmother, are the cornerstone of
health care in this country.
In Arkansas and all over America, we are faced with a nursing shortage.
There are over 25,000 nurses registered in Arkansas, and over 1,000 of
those are nurse practitioners. For a state with 2.5 million citizens,
this is simply not enough. A nurse's role goes far beyond the hospital;
nurses reach into charity clinics, in-home care, churches, and school volunteer
health programs. The low nurse to patient ratio is far below what it needs
to be, and as a result, the health and safety of the patient is compromised.
This is America and we can do better.
Unfortunately, nursing programs are severely under funded in the fiscal
year 2006 budget. The president's budget has requested $150 million
for nursing workforce development programs including the Nurse Reinvestment
Act. That figure represents a cut of $1 million over the FY 2005 funding
level. With a predicted nursing shortage of more than 275,000 registered
nurses by the year 2010, this is the wrong time to be cutting back our
investment in this country's future nurses.
As a member committed to supporting our nurses, I have sent a request
to the appropriations committee for $175 million that will go toward nurse
workforce development programs, which will enable nurses to receive the
proper training necessary to keep up with their ever-evolving profession.
These funds would also be used to provide incentives for students and nurses
to receive advanced degrees in the nursing profession and student loan
programs.
Nurses are a critical component of health care in this country, offering
support and providing assistance at every step of the health care process.
Access to health care should be a fundamental right for every American,
regardless of their economic status. I commend nurses for their hard
work and tireless efforts, from school nurses to emergency rooms, and charity
clinics to nursing homes. As your United States Congressman, I will
continue to fight to ensure nurses are adequately funded and have the resources
they need to continue to properly care for our nation's children, working
families, and elderly. |
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