As Oregon’s nursing shortage continues, lawmakers plan a remedy – Oregon Capital Chronicle

A proposal in the Legislative Assembly aims to address the shortage of nurses in Oregon, which has jeopardized the quality of care, advocates say.

No less than 350,000 people are hospitalized each year in Oregon, 1.3 million are treated in the emergency room and 13 million are treated on an outpatient basis.

Nurses are also essential for providing care in medical clinics and long-term care facilities.

Advocates say the lack of nurses can lead to errors and lower quality care.

House Bill 4003 aims to alleviate the shortage of nurses by allowing students to treat patients under the supervision of a registered nurse and perform other duties, giving enrollees more time to do their jobs. The proposal would create a trainee nurse license for students who have had at least one semester of nursing education and passed a skills test. Proponents say their presence would free up experienced nurses, giving them more time to ensure patients receive proper care.

“I think this could be a huge help for nurses, both in terms of education and practice,” said Jana Bitton, executive director of the Oregon Center for Nursing, which conducts research and advocates nurses’ interests, in an e-mail. “This opens up opportunities for workplaces to integrate trainee nurses into their staff, which could alleviate staffing shortages in some situations.”

The influential Oregon Nurses Association, which represents 13,000 of the 72,000 licensed registered nurses in Oregon, also supports the bill.

“It’s not a panacea, but it will provide an on-ramp to the nursing profession and add qualified students to the health care team,” said association spokesman Kevin Mealy. “Registered Trainee Nurses can gain invaluable hands-on experience while supporting patients and nurses at the bedside and behind the scenes.

The proposal was unanimously approved by the House Health Care Committee last week and has gone to the Joint Ways and Means Committee, which decides budget matters.

In addition to creating a new license, the bill would add nurses to a program that offers therapy sessions. The Oregon Wellness Program now offers free, confidential counseling sessions for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, podiatrists, and dentists. The House bill would be extend the program to registered nurses.

The program, which would cost an additional $700,000 to include nurses, offers eight free one-hour therapy sessions a year with professionals. The program is confidential, unlike employee assistance programs, and appointments are guaranteed within 72 hours.

Although employer insurance plans cover mental health treatment, there is usually a co-pay and it usually takes time to get an appointment.

Nursing educators like Bitton also support the bill because it would also expand the nursing pipeline. In 2018, the Oregon Department of Employment said the state would need to add 2,600 nurses a year to replace those leaving and fill new positions created by health care expansion. But in 2019, less than 1,600 new graduates entered the job market.

“Right now we are seeing a delay in graduation due to a lack of clinical support,” Rep. Rachel Prusak, D-Tualatin, said in a forum before the session began. Prusak was a nurse for 20 years and a nurse practitioner for 14 years.

As chair of the House Health Care Committee, she proposed the bill after meetings with nurses, hospital and long-term care administrators and nursing educators.

“I watched this very closely,” Prusak said. “It’s really personal to me.”

Idaho and Washington already have nurse trainee licenses. Prusak said establishing such a license in Oregon is an easy first step.

“It will be one of the many things we need to do moving forward,” Prusak said.

The proposal would allow schools to award students credit for clinical experience. It would also expand the types of facilities that can temporarily use out-of-state nurses and extend the length of time they are allowed to practice in Oregon from one month to three months.

The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Care Systems supports the bill, as does the Oregon Primary Care Association, which represents 34 clinics serving low-income Oregonians.

“HB 4003 is a bill that reflects Oregon’s ability to be a leader in health care, and we appreciate that it has clear and predictable steps to begin addressing the issue,” said Andi Easton, vice president of government affairs for the hospital association. written testimony. “We particularly appreciate the effort to provide a gateway to quickly employ non-resident RNs in good standing in other states to work temporarily in Oregon hospitals.”