NURS 501: Legislative Letter- Kimberly White 1
Legislative Letter
NURS 501- Kimberly White
Liberty University
The Honorable: Ms. Jan Schakowsky
2367 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congresswoman Schakowsky:
I am writing to you in regards to a bill in which you proposed to the House of
Representatives on May 4, 2017 “Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and
Quality Care Act of 2017” H.R. 2392. This bill would impart standards for staffing throughout
hospitals and post-acute care centers nationwide. This issue is of paramount interest to me being
a Registered Nurse in the great state of Tennessee for the last eight years. The new proposed
staffing ratios would not only improve patient care and quality, but also reduce cost from medical
errors that happen every day in our healthcare systems across the United States.
Ms. Schakowsky, having never met you or had any association with you other than this
correspondence I can not contest to where your beliefs lie. I can say that being a devout
Christian, the reason that I pursued nursing as my career was in my belief to provide care to
those in need. Jesus, speaks of this in the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke,
when he commands his disciples to “Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37 King James
Version) as the Samaritan who had provided care for his fellow brother in need. I feel deeply,
that the new proposed standards will not only allow for better patient outcomes as listed above,
but also will allow for nurses to feel confident that they have provided the best care possible.
In closing when reviewing the proposed bill, the funding source would primarily come
from Medicare reimbursement via adjusted payments to hospitals. With the exception of
federally operated hospitals, the hospitals will receive adjustments in payment to equal the
amount of increased costs associated with providing the recommended services for Medicare
patients. Federal funds will be made available to cover the extra costs incurred by the federally
operated hospitals. (H.R. 2392, 2017). I feel that this not only would be an adequate source of
funding but it would help to ensure that the above staffing guideline are adhered to by hospital
and post-acute care centers nationwide. Thank you for your time and consideration of my
viewpoint on this matter. I would like to see that congress, would take heed in this matter and
pass the proposed bill to ensure better patient care and quality to millions of patients in our great
nation.
Sincerely,
Kimberly White
357 Egypt Road Bluff City, TN 37618
423-383-1876
Kdwhite1@liberty.edu
Reference Page
Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2017, H.R. 2392, 115th Cong. (2017)
