Now is the time to be politically active

The Texas Legislature is currently looking at regulatory Boards and determining whether they need changes to their statutes and direction. For example, the Texas Medical Board has been holding town hall meetings across the state. Jeff McDonald over at Information for Physicians notes that these meetings are being held in the home cities of major Legislators, which makes it obvious that the meetings are not being held for the benefit of the public or the regulated physicians, but for the Legislature. Jon Porter at Health License Defense posts his thoughts about the meeting.

The Legislature is also looking at the other health profession boards as they prepare for next year's legislative session. Typically the only parties that let the Legislature know what they want in regards to health professions are professional organizations and consumer groups (see my blog on the town hall meetings and regulation in Texas).

TNA is in the process of gearing up for the 2009 legislative session and the National Nurses Organizing Committee has started working for next year's legislative session regarding mandatory RN staffing ratios, the right to advocate, and whistle-blower protections.

Are you a member of a professional organization? Are you letting that organization know the problems you are having with your practice? If you have interacted with the Board or if you have been following the BON's actions, are you letting your organization or your Legislator know what you like and don't like or what your concerns are?

If you don't participate, how can they know what is important to you?!!!!!!! Other professions have more say because they are more politically active. Nurses, routinely, sit by and let others make the decisions about nursing. Nurses are the largest health care profession, but we have very little power and our failure to step up and get involved and get vocal is a direct reason.