Governmental Affairs – Representative - Pat Spielman

• "Roster & List of Committees" may be obtained by calling the Department of Legislative Services at 410-946-5400. This is a book published by the Maryland Assembly that lists all the current (2005) Senators and Delegates along with their pictures, biographies and contract addresses. It lists both the Standing and Special committees. This book is a great resource and is free. Supplies are limited so act soon.

• Statewide Commission on the Nursing Workforce

• In 2005, The Commission will meet:

            September 28, 2005

            Stella Maris

            2300 Dulaney Valley Road

            Lutherville Timonium, MD

        A meeting site is needed for November 1, 7 or 9, 2005

        If you know of or have access to a room that:

        1.    Holds at least 60 people

        2.    Has parking, preferably free

        3.    May not have but can accommodate Power point/transparency displays

        Let Patricia Kennedy know. FAX: 410-358-3530    Telephone No. 410-585-1903

               State Board of Nursing

               4140 Patterson Avenue

               Baltimore, MD 21215

Preparation for the meeting begins at approximately 8 am. Attendee sign in begins at 9 am and the meeting starts at 9:30 am. Because the meeting length will not be known until the agenda is set most likely in October 2005, it may be necessary to reserve the space from 8 am to 4 pm.

• New MNA web site - www.marylandrn.org

• For more information about House Bills including HB 1099 visit www.maryland.gov

      MNA Report - LMNO- April 12, 2005

• Legislation Passed

  HB 827/SB 718 HIV Testing Consent

  As passed, the new language expands the existing law on testing when there has been a valid exposure to blood and body fluid by:

  1.   allows for the testing of an existing (available) sample of the patient's blood in the event of an exposure when the blood was previously drawn for other testing purposes;

  2.   adds public safety workers to those listed who can require HIV testing (public safety workers defined as career or volunteer member of a fire, rescue or EMS department, company, squad or auxiliary; any law enforcement officer; or state fire marshal or sworn member of the state fire marshal's office;

  3.   requires that the hospital "attempt to notify the patient of the test results; and

  4.   requires DHMH and MIEMSS to collect data on blood borne pathogen exposures and refusals to consent to testing and to report the data to the legislature and the governor.

  Please recall that current statute in Maryland around the issue of testing blood after an exposure is only applicable at this point to hospital health care workers and the responder community as identified above. Many groups do not want expansion of these protections, so this may be the work for next year. (MNA Support P-1)

  HB 370/SB 321

  Which dealt with the inclusion of public safety workers under the previously existing statute also passed and consequently included those persons as indicated above into the SB 718/ HB 827

  HB 233: Public Health - Legibility of Prescription Workgroup - Reports        

  This bill requires DHMH to convene a workgroup of health care professionals to study the issue of legibility of prescriptions and make recommendations for any statutory or regulatory changes need to improve prescription legibility in order to enhance patient safety.

   

• Legislation Failed

  HB 310/SB 307 - Labor and Employment - Payment of Overtime - Registered Nurses

  Adds language to existing law that would require employers to continue to pay RNs providing direct patient care overtime pay of at least 1.5 times usual hourly wage (MNA supported P-1)

  HB 344 Nurse Staffing Ratios Bill

  Would identify specific ratios for nurse staffing for defined patient care areas. (MNA supported safe staffing bill with multiple amendments)

  HB 609 - Long-Term Care Facilities and Hospitals- Reporting Deaths of Long Tern Care Facility Residents

  This bill would have required hospitals and long term care facilities to immediately report every resident's death to the appropriate medical examiner and give the known facts concerning the time, place, manner and circumstances of the death. (MNA Support P-3)

  HB 1099: Statewide Commission on the Nursing Workforce

  This bill would have created a Statewide Commission on the Nursing Workforce. This commission would have replaced the Statewide Commission on the Crisis in Nursing set to expire on December 1, 2005. (MNA Support P-1) ( A meeting was held on April 27 to further discuss this.)

  HB 1543: Health Professionals -Credentialing Information - Electronic Collection, Filing and Display

  This bill would have required DHMH to develop and implement a Maryland Health Professionals Credentialing Data Source for all health occupations licensed, certified or registered in the Health Occupations article.

      

  ·        LMNO Directory- So far only 15 nursing organizations have placed their info. Looking into why memberships have declined.