Washington's RNs get help with safe patient handling. On March 8, Washington governor Christine Gregoire signed legislation into law requiring health care institutions to create policies that promote safe handling and moving of patients, as well as safe patient handling committees (with at least 50% of their members involved in direct care), and to provide equipment and education for safely lifting patients. This legislation was a top priority for the Washington State Nurses Association; Washington is only the fourth state to have such legislation (after New York, Ohio, and Texas).
New York RNs rally in Albany. On April 4, more than 1,200 RNs and nursing students participated in the annual Lobby Day sponsored by the New York State Nurses Association, right. State leaders, including Senate majority leader Joseph Bruno, spoke to the group, assuring them of his support for legislation on who can use the title "nurse" and for increasing scholarship funds to prepare nurse faculty. Along with Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver, he announced a combined $1.5 million to fund the safe patient handling bill passed last year.