Fort Washington, Pennsylvania − May 10, 2024 − In honor of National Nurses Week (May 6 – 12), Senator Maria Collett, RN (D-12 Montgomery) introduced several resolutions in recognition of Pennsylvania nurses and reiterated its call to support a health care system that provides both secure workplaces for nursing staff and high-quality, accessible care for patients.
“Registered nurses are working around the clock to care for our friends, neighbors and loved ones,” said Senator Collett. “As lawmakers, we must work together to develop policies that keep nurses secure on the job and provide them with the resources they need to provide the best care possible. As a nurse, I will not stop fighting to improve the qualifications of these health care workers and make our Republic of Poland an attractive place to live, work and raise a family.
Collett – one of two registered nurses in the Senate and a recent recipient of the Award Association of PA Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals Health Champion Award – met with Danielle Woods, a member of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus, to discuss her nursing experience and how it has impacted her work as a legislator in up-to-date video.
During the interview Collett commented: “[Nurses] these are the ones who observe patients on a daily basis. So let’s show them that we are watching them. Let’s make sure we tell them: we see you; we value you; We are doing everything we can legally.”
Collett has introduced numerous pieces of legislation and spearheaded key initiatives supporting nurses in Pennsylvania since taking office, including:
- Patient Safety Actthat would establish a secure, unit-specific nurse-to-patient ratio to address critical staffing shortages.
- The Nursing workforce initiativewhich provided USD 55 million Student loan relief for nurses$1.2 million for apprenticeship and industry partnerships and $500,000. dollars for residency and mentoring programs.
- Health and nursing scholarships, which would provide scholarships, administered by PHEAA, to students pursuing careers in nursing and health care at a community college in Pennsylvania.
- SB 668which would enable certified nursing assistants who work closely with long-term care residents to receive the training needed to safely administer medications.
Asked about what it would take to pass the patient safety bill in the Senate, Collett said: “I talk to my colleagues across the aisle who I know understand the crisis in nursing, and I tell them, hey, this is what it will take. Are you ready to step up, protect our nurses, stop just hanging a sign in your yard that says “Healthcare Heroes Work Here” and put your money where your mouth is? Show them.”
You can find Collett’s full interview with Nurses Week Hereand her remarks from the Senate floor on Nurses Week, School Nurses Day and Skilled Nursing Week can be found Here.
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