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Health Professionals, Candidate Share Ideas at Roundtable Discussion

Date: Sept. 22, 2006
Location: Cranston, RI
Issues: Health and Health Care


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2006

Rhode Island Nurses Endorse Whitehouse for Senate
Health Professionals, Candidate Share Ideas at Roundtable Discussion

Cranston, R.I. - The United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) endorsed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sheldon Whitehouse today, calling Whitehouse a "champion" for health care reforms that will improve working conditions for their members and the quality of care for their patients. Whitehouse joined UNAP President Linda McDonald, RN, who made the announcement, and several UNAP members at a roundtable discussion on their ideas for real solutions to the challenges they encounter in the health care system.

"We all share the goal of making health insurance available to every American family, and as nurses and health professionals, we have a unique perspective on the enormous waste and inefficiency in today's health care system that get in the way of expanding coverage," said McDonald. "Like our members, Sheldon Whitehouse understands that the quality of the system affects the quality of care, and he's worked hard to find new solutions that will make the system work better."

"The nurses I've met are so frustrated at being spread too thin and having to spend more time jumping through bureaucratic hoops than caring for patients," Whitehouse said. "Expanding the availability of health information technology and improving the quality of the system will save time, money, and lives. This will be among my top priorities in the Senate."

Whitehouse has long advocated for significant reform to improve the quality and efficiency of our health care system. As Rhode Island's Attorney General, he founded the Rhode Island Quality Institute, which began an initiative to allow doctors' offices to send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically. Rhode Island was recognized by SureScripts, the largest network provider of electronic prescribing services, as the nation's leader in the use of electronic prescriptions earlier this year.

To improve working conditions for nurses and health care professionals, Whitehouse supports establishing minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in acute care settings, restricting mandatory overtime, and taking steps to address the growing shortage of nurses by making it easier to pursue a career in nursing.

The United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP) is a regional health care union representing 4,500 nurses, technologists, therapists, support staff, and other health care workers employed in Rhode Island, Vermont, and Connecticut.

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http://www.whitehouseforsenate.com/?page_id=315

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