The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing, American Nurses Association (ANA)-Illinois and Lewis Clark Community College Nursing program presented “Legislative Night 2013” on Oct. 15 in Edwardsville.
More than 260 nurses and nursing students from SIUE and LCCC attended. Rep. Wayne Rosenthal (R, Morrisonville) spoke about the importance of becoming politically involved and sharing knowledge with legislators.
Registered Nurse Sue Clark is a principal at Capitol Edge Consulting and a lobbyist for ANA-Illinois along with other nursing and health care organizations. She addressed issues and legislation anticipated in the Illinois General Assembly’s 2014 session. Topics included medication technicians, nursing workforce issues, an increase in the nursing licensure fee to maintain state nursing scholarships and the Illinois Center for Nursing.
Dr. Karen Kelly, associate professor of nursing at SIUE and president of ANA-Illinois, discussed the importance of developing political activism skills. She described her beneficial experience in advocating for the disabled population of Murray Developmental Center in Centralia.
“This was one of the most exciting Legislative Nights the School of Nursing has hosted,” said Kelly. “The attendees had great questions for nurse-lobbyist Sue Clark. It was a productive event.”
Legislative Night is an annual continuing education program offered by the SIUE School of Nursing. Its purpose is to educate nurses and students about the importance of political activism for the future of nursing and the improvement of health care.
Legislative Night has been offered in the Metro-East annually since 1978. The SIUE School of Nursing has been involved with Legislative Night for the last nine years.
Photo: Registered Nurse Sue Clark.