Health Care Reform Proposals Include Many Important Nursing-Related Provisions, says CCNA Texas Team Member

Clair Jordan, MSN, RN, executive director of the Texas Nurses Association and CCNA Texas state team member, joins nurse leaders from Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma in a discussion of the federal health care reform proposals currently being considered by lawmakers in Washington, D.C. The proposals, they say, include several important nursing related delivery system reforms. Passing national healthcare reform legislation has become a heavy burden on both state and national legislators. While state nursing associations in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, have goals in place, the implementation of each state's healthcare legislation and reformation will ultimately depend on the details of a national reform program.

For these nurse leaders, health care reform is an opportunity to fill professional vacancies to care for America's aging population. With the majority of the country continuing to cope with a shortage of nurses, as well as physicians, Jordan sees APRNs playing a vital role in filling the gap. 

"Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the nation - estimated to be as high as 44 percent of the state's 25 million residents," said Jordan. "In Texas, this could create a startling need for approximately 5,000 additional APNs."

Texas and Louisiana are two of 31 states with multi-stakeholder teams working with the Center to Champion Nursing in America to increase educational capacity. Learn more about our state efforts.