Nurses Red Bernie Bus On Hand for March to the Capitol, Rally Featuring Grupo La Meta!

Hundreds of registered nurses from across California will gather in Sacramento Wednesday, May 11, in honor of National Nurses’ Week to encourage state legislators to step up efforts to improve protections for hospital patients, and to express their support for Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders.

The RNs, members of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, which represents 90,000 nurses in California, will first meet at the Sacramento Convention Center in downtown Sacramento to discuss their legislative program for 2016 and hear from leading legislators. Then nurses will march to the Capital building for a spirited rally, prior to their lobbying visits.

The Nurses Big Red Bernie Bus will join the nurses at the Capitol. Nurses have travelled from coast to coast aboard the Bernie Bus to campaign for Sanders and will continue their get-out-the vote efforts throughout the state in the run-up to the California Primary on June 7.   

Nurses’ Legislative Action Day Schedule

• Mass gathering: 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Sacramento Convention Center
• March: 12 noon, from Convention Center to the West Steps of the State Capitol, Sacramento
• Rally: 12:15, West Steps, State Capitol, Sacramento –featuring Grupo La Meta!
• Visits to State Legislators: 12:30 to 3 p.m., State Capitol

In the morning session, the RNs are scheduled to hear from Sen. Ed Hernandez of West Covina, author of a CNA sponsored bill SB1076, which cracks down on hospitals that warehouse patients in “observation” status exposing them to health and financial risks. Assembly member Tony Thurmond [AD 15], author of another CNA sponsored bill, AB 2272, which regulates harmful surgical plume smoke, will also address the nurses.

The rally at the state Capitol will feature the Modesto, Calif. band Grupo La Meta, who recently gained national attention for their song "El Quemazón” (“The Bern”)—a corrido for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Nurses will also hear from Mark Capitolo speaking on behalf of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s campaign in support of the California Drug Price Relief Act, a November ballot measure recently endorsed by CNA and Presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders.

After the rally in front of the Capitol, nurses will fan out around the capitol to call on legislators to support:

Senate Bill 1076 – Observation Care

Hospitals increasingly use “observation status,” which can mean holding a patient in a hospital even on a gurney in a hallway for long periods of time without admitting them. Observation status is treated as outpatient, not inpatient care, and is billed by hospitals on an hourly basis rather than an inpatient daily rate – an economic incentive for hospitals to warehouse patients in observation status.

SB 1076, introduced by Sen. Ed Hernandez, requires hospitals to inform patients that they are being placed in “observation” status and explain to them how that may affect reimbursement for their medical services. The bill also requires observation services to meet the same staffing standards as the emergency room and prohibits hospitals from evading the requirements by disguising “observation” units with a different name. The bill is currently awaiting action on the Senate floor.

Assembly Bill 2272 – Surgical Smoke

Assembly Bill 2272, authored by Assembly member Tony Thurmond, directs the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board (OSHSB) to adopt regulations mandating the removal of potentially dangerous surgical smoke generated during a variety of therapeutic procedures in acute care settings. Human tissue destroyed during these procedures generates a smoke byproduct or “plume.” The plume can contain toxic gases and vapors, viral particles or fungal spores and blood borne pathogens. The bill will be up for a vote soon on the Assembly floor.

CNA Opposes SB 1195

Nurses are calling on Senators to reject SB 1195, a bill that undermines the ability of the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) to take actions and pass regulations that assure patient protection. The bill would prohibit the Executive Officer of the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) from being a registered nurse and transfer decision-making power away from the board members-who are chosen specifically for their knowledge and expertise.

California Drug Price Relief Act

Nurses are asking Senators and Assembly members to join them in supporting the California Drug Price Relief Act, a ballot measure that would limit the state of California from paying more for any prescription drug, for state employees or Medicaid patients, than is paid for the same drug by the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs (DVA).  The DVA pays on average 20-24 percent less for medications than government agencies, and up to 40 percent less than Medicare Part D.

CNA recently endorsed this ballot measure and is also encouraging elected representatives to hold local town halls on the subject.