Fall 2019 The Voice of Healthcare Professionals WITH JNESO OUR MEMBERS ARE NEVER ALONE Lead Crisis in Newark JNESO has Members who work and live on Our members not only work in Newark but the frontline of the lead crisis in Newark. For also live in the Brick City. At work, they care years our nurses at the Newark’s Department for their patients and manage their caseloads; of Health have provided lead screenings some of whom return home to affected to children to mitigate the effects of lead residences and communities. poisoning. As older structures in Newark have been torn-down or retro-fitted, residents JNESO has joined federal, state and local were exposed to lead through lead-based government agencies as well as community paints or lead contaminated dust and soil. and non-profit organizations to collect and Infants and young children are particularly at distribute water to residents affected by lead- risk because the physical and behavior effects contaminated drinking water. On September occur at lower exposure levels in children than 7th, JNESO members and staff distributed in adults. Children exposed to lead at high bottled water to residents at the Paradise levels also may inhibit mental and emotional Baptist Church in Newark. development. The solutions are far-reaching and will require Recently, the City of Newark and NJ substantial investment and time to complete. Department of Health found elevated levels In the meantime, JNESO will be there to of lead in drinking water in homes and educate Newark’s residents and our members buildings in certain areas of the city. Lead about the dangers of lead. in the drinking water is caused by old lead pipes (expand?). Residents in affected areas Blessings! were provided water filters for their faucets to purify their drinking water. Recently it was determined water filters distributed by the city were not removing or reducing lead to levels acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Newark residents living in affected areas were told to discontinue using tap water for drinking and cooking. Residents were forced to use bottled water for drinking and consumption. JNESO Community Organizer, Thurese Calhoun The Lead Crisis in Newark has led to an influx (left), JNESO Board Member and JNESO @ of people getting blood screenings at the VNAHG Local Vice-President, Jennifer Henning Newark Department of Health. The spike in (center) and JNESO Board President and JNESO the numbers of people affected by this crisis @ SMMC Local President, Elfrieda Johnson has increased as has our members’ case-loads. (right) distributed water to Newark residents. The Voice of Healthcare Professionals REMEMBER TO VOTE ELECTION DAY: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH on the importance of supporting legislation that protects our members as well as the By Doug Placa, JNESO’s patients you serve. For example, Assembly Bill Executive Director 1470, which is still pending, seeks to address the issue of safe staffing ratios for nurses by setting limits on the number of patients that can be in any one nurse’s care. By supporting As we head into the fall months and an candidates who are in favor of such legislation, important election season, I am pleased we strengthen our ability to be heard in to share the endorsements of the JNESO Trenton and throughout the State. Board of Directors for the New Jersey State While we provide recommendations, we also legislature in this edition of our Newsletter respect our members’ personal political views (see endorsements on opposing page). This and endorsements are shared to provide year, the Assembly is at the top of ticket information on those candidates who have - with all 80 members of the New Jersey voiced their willingness to support issues General Assembly up for election or re- important to JNESO. Most importantly, we election. encourage all of our members to get out and Each year, the Board surveys legislatures to Vote! The ballot box does not discriminate, but determine candidates’ positions on topics the results can greatly influence the direction important to our members. This year’s of our country, state, and the communities survey solicited feedback on safe staffing where we live and work. ratios, hospital inspections and collective Please contact our office should you be bargaining rights. We asked questions that interested in additional information on any impact the day-to-day important work you of the endorsed candidates. Thank you for do in delivering healthcare to your patients. the important work you do and for carefully We had a terrific response to the survey considering the recommendations from and many candidates shared their views JNESO’s Board of Directors. New Jersey Political & Legislative Update The Democrats maintain a large majority in New Jersey in both houses, and are looking to potentially pick up additional seats throughout the state. Specifically, the 8th Legislative District in Burlington County, the 21st Legislative District in Union County, and the 25th Legislative District in Morris County. These races are expected to be close, and in a low-turnout year like this one, ever vote really matters. We hope you will vote on Tuesday, November 5th! Pennsylvania Political & Legislative Update JNESO has been fiercely advocating in support of legislation that would establish safe patient limits, hospital unit staffing plans, transparencies, committees, along with providing additional protections for nurses. The Senate version – Senate bill 450 – currently waits to be posted for a vote in the Health and Human Services Committee. The House version – House bill 867 – similarly waits to be posted for a vote in the House Health Committee. JNESO has been working diligently to educate members of the Legislature on the importance of passing these critical bills. 2 www.JNESO.org Fall 2019 JNESO 2019 NEW JERSEY LEGISLATIVE ENDORSEMENTS DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 14 DISTRICT 28 Senate: Bob Andrzejczak* Wayne P. DeAngelo*+^ Cleopatra G. Tucker* Assembly: R. Bruce Land* Daniel R. Benson*^ Ralph Caputo* Matthew W. Milam* DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 15 DISTRICT 29 John Armato* Anthony Verrelli*+ Shanique Davis-Speight* Vince Mazzeo* Verlina Reynolds-Jackson*^ Eliana Pintor Marin* DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 16 DISTRICT 31 John J. Burzichelli* Roy Freiman* Nicholas A. Chiaravalloti* Adam Taliaferro* Andrew Zwicker*^ Angela V. McKnight*^ DISTRICT 4 DISTRICT 17 DISTRICT 32 Paul D. Moriarty*+ Joseph V. Egan*+ Angela M. Jimenez*^ Gabriela M. Mosquera*^ Joe Danielsen* Pedro Mejia* DISTRICT 5 DISTRICT 18 DISTRICT 33 William Spearman* Nancy Pinkin* Raj Mukherji* William F. Moen Robert Karabinchak* Annette Chaparro* DISTRICT 6 DISTRICT 19 DISTRICT 34 Louis D. Greenwald* Yvonne Lopez* Thomas P. Giblin*+^ Pamela R. Lampitt* Craig Coughlin* Britnee Timberlake* DISTRICT 7 DISTRICT 20 DISTRICT 35 Carol Murphy*^ Annette Quijano* Shavonda Sumter* Herb Conaway* Jamel C. Holley* Benjie E. Wimberly* DISTRICT 8 DISTRICT 22 DISTRICT 36 Gina LaPlaca James J. Kennedy* Gary S. Schaer* Mark Natale Linda Carter*^ DISTRICT 10 DISTRICT 25 DISTRICT 37 Eileen Della Volle Lisa Bhimani Gordon M. Johnson* Darcy Draeger Valerie Vainieri Huttle*^ DISTRICT 11 DISTRICT 27 DISTRICT 38 Eric Houghtaling*+^ John F. McKeon* P. Christopher Tully* Joann Downey* Mila M. Jasey*^ Lisa Swain* * Incumbent + Labor Candidate ^ A1470/S989 Sponsor/Co-Sponsor A1470/S989: Establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities. www.JNESO.org 3 The Voice of Healthcare Professionals NURSE OBLIGATION TO REPORT Registered nurses are professionally and ethically obligated to advocate for their patients and themselves By Karen May, JNESO’s by voicing any concerns about patient assignments. Practice Director Short Staffing/Assignment Despite Objection Forms, provide a mechanism for accepting a patient assignment while expressing – in writing – objection and concern about the safety of that assignment. A nurse’s first and most important obligation to the patient is to keep the patient safe at all times. There are multiple reasons why a RN may file a All nurses must ensure that the well-being of complaint at any time during the shift including, but each patient is their highest priority. If a nurse not limited to: falls short of expected obligations, she/he may be charged with negligence. • Floating- where the nurse is not adequately prepared, The American Nurses Association (ANA) upholds • Fatigue- especially under conditions of mandatory that RNs– based on their professional and ethical overtime, responsibilities – have the professional right to accept, reject or object in writing to any patient • Lack of sufficient orientation, assignment that puts patients or themselves at • Inadequate staffing for patient acuity, serious risk for harm. • Inappropriate skill mix, The professional obligations of the registered nurse to safeguard patients are grounded in the • Assignment poses a serious threat to the health and Nursing’s Social Policy Statement (ANA, 2003), safety of the staff, Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2001b), Nursing: Scope and • New patients were transferred or admitted to the unit Standards of Practice (ANA, 2004), state laws, and without adequate staff, rules and regulations governing nursing practice. • Lack of unit resources: equipment/supplies, technology, The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive transporters, or other disruptions in the care environment Statements provides a foundation for why the RN must