News Article

24 hour RN Bill, Consumer Voice Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Receive Coverage in the New York Times

August 13, 2014

A recent piece in the New York Times' Old Age Blog, authored by Paula Span, highlights legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Schakowsky to require the 24 hour presence of a RN within our nation's nursing homes. This legislation, H.R. 5373 - the Put a Registered Nurse in the Nursing Home Act, would strengthen the current federal requirement that only mandates for facilities to use an RN for 8 continuous hours each day regardless of facility size. 

Over the past two decades, the medical intensity and complexity of care for nursing home residents has increased dramatically. This high level of skill and knowledge for oversight and care is needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. RN coverage for only 8 hours a day leaves the residents vulnerable, undermining effective prevention of complications and possibly delaying important interventions. 

Consumer Voice strongly supports the Put a Registered Nurse in the Nursing Home Act, and Robyn Grant, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, is quoted in the New York Times piece on the legislation. To read the article, click here. You can also view the text of the legislation here and our press release on H.R. 5373 here.