May 4, 2009

Some 300 registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) from across the country are gathered in Washington, D.C. this week for the 12th annual National Nurses Congress hosted by AFSCME-United Nurses of America (UNA).

The Congress opens just days after AFSCME released a new survey [pdf] of more than 100 health care facilities across the country that reveals that many are not adequately prepared to protect workers’ health and safety during an influenza pandemic. Moreover, there are no existing comprehensive federal standards on airborne diseases by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), leaving health care workers at risk unnecessarily.

Addressing the nurses will be:

• Kathleen Sebelius, who was recently sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The former Kansas governor speaks on Wednesday, May 6.
• U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). A member of the House Democratic leadership as Chief Deputy Whip, she also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health. Schakowsky also addresses the Nurses Congress on Wednesday, May 6.

The nurses work at acute care hospitals, nursing homes, correctional institutions and care for patients with mental and developmental disabilities. They will hear from top health officials of the Obama administration, members of Congress and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and expert on global health issues.

There will also be workshops on health care reform, safety, patient care, preparedness and other topics. However, the focus of the Nurses Congress changed to pandemics as the World Health Organization (WHO) recently increased its alert level for the global spread of swine influenza A (H1N1).