| Healthcare
Workforce
Connecticut's already severe healthcare workforce shortage
is projected to grow to unprecedented levels in a few years.
An inclusive, collaborative, public/private partnership approach
focusing on marketing healthcare careers, expanding educational
resources, and ensuring adequate resources for providers is
essential to addressing this shortage.
CHA's
advocacy focus for the healthcare workforce issue includes
both long-term and short-term strategies to align the supply
and demand for healthcare workers.
As
part of its 2008
Legislative Agenda, CHA will:
-
Seek
the establishment of initiatives to successfully develop,
recruit, and retain qualified faculty members for nursing
and allied health programs with the goal of accommodating
admission of all interested and qualified applicants.
- Seek
support to expand classroom/laboratory resources as necessary
to accommodate increased admissions to nursing and allied
health programs.
- Obtain
bonding to support hospitals' acquisition of patient lifting
equipment, essential to the retention of older healthcare
workers.
- Support
workplace-related initiatives that protect employers' and
employees' right to communicate about workplace issues.
- Support
initiatives that ensure hospitals' ability to appropriately
manage human resources to meet ever-changing patient care
needs.
Related
Resources
Healthcare
Career Center
Averting Crisis: Ensuring Healthcare for Future Generations
in Connecticut
— a new CHA report focuses on the state's healthcare workforce
shortage, recommends a six-point plan on addressing the shortage
before it becomes a crisis, and highlights many of the workforce
development initiatives being conducted by CHA member hospitals.
Related
Testimony
Tuesday,
February 23, 2007
CHA
submitted testimony to the Labor and Public Employees Committee
concerning SB 602, An Act Concerning Employer-Sponsored
Meetings.
Click
here for testimony on SB 602.
Thursday,
February 15, 2007
CHA
submitted testimony to the Higher Education and Employment
Advancement Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly
in support of several bills that would strengthen the state's
healthcare workforce, including: HB 7102, An Act
Adopting The Recommendations Of The Connecticut Allied Health
Workforce Policy Board; SB 799, An Act Concerning A Nursing
Faculty Student Loan Program; HB 5627, An Act Providing
Funding For Academic Nursing Programs; and HB
6024, An Act Concerning Scholarships And Financial Assistance
For Nurses Pursuing Master's Degrees.
Click
here for testimony on these bills.
Tuesday,
January 30, 2007
CHA
submitted testimony to the Higher Education and Employment
Advancement Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly
in support of SB
136, An Act Concerning Diversity In The Health Care Workforce,
which would require public and private institutions of higher
education that offer health professional programs to develop
strategic plans to ensure institutional diversity and cultural
competence in the healthcare workforce.
Click
here for testimony on SB 136.
2006
Testimony
Monday,
March 13, 2006
HB
5718, An Act Concerning A Professional Assistance Program
For Health Care Professionals
CHA
testified in support of this bill, which would facilitate
the establishment of programs to provide prevention, intervention,
referral assistance and support services to healthcare professionals
with a chemical dependency or an emotional, behavioral,
or psychological disorder.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on HB 5718.
Tuesday,
March 7, 2006
HB
5619, An Act Concerning Nursing Shortages And Loan Repayment
For Nurses
CHA
submitted testimony in support of this bill, which increases
funding for state nursing education and nursing loan repayment
programs and expands existing financial assistance to students
attending independent institutions of higher education.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on HB 5619.
Monday,
March 6, 2006
SB
385, An Act Concerning Public Disclosure Of Hospital Staffing
Levels For Patient Safety
Judith
Carey, RSM, Vice President for Mission Integration at Saint
Francis Hospital and Medical Center and Pat Monahan, CHA's
General Counsel and Vice President, Patient Care Regulation,
testified on this bill, which would require hospitals to
post staffing information in patient care areas that indicates
numbers of registered nurses and other caregivers, the ratios
of patients to each type of caregiver and the methods used
to adjust and determine staffing levels.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on SB 385.
SB
402, An Act Concerning Certain Labor Disputes
CHA
submitted testimony in opposition to this bill, which would
lead to the imposition of penalties on state contractors,
including hospitals, in the event of a disruption of services
that coincides with a labor dispute.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on SB 402.
Thursday,
March 2, 2006
HB
5528, An Act Establishing A Loan Forgiveness Program For
Employees In High Needs Occupations
CHA
submitted testimony in support of this bill, which
would establish a loan forgiveness program for employees
in high needs occupations.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on HB 5528
Thursday,
February 23, 2006
HB
5090, An Act Concerning Nursing Pool Services Provided to
Health Care Institutions
CHA
submitted testimony on this bill, which requires nursing
pools in Connecticut to register annually with the Department
of Social Services and regulates the rates that they may
charge.
Click
here to view testimony on HB 5090
Tuesday,
February 14, 2006
SB
21, An Act Concerning Card Checks; HB 5030, An Act Concerning
Captive Audience Meetings; HB 5032, An Act Concerning Neutrality
Agreements And The Use Of State Financial Assistance For
Certain Labor Organizing Activities
John
Zandy, partner at the law firm of Wiggin and Dana, testified
on behalf of CHA in opposition to these bills, stating,
among other reasons, that federal law would preempt all
three because they would prohibit activities allowed under
the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and limit employers'
ability communicate with their employees.
Click
here to view Mr. Zandy's testimony on SB 21
Click
here to view Mr. Zandy's testimony on HB 5030
Click
here to view Mr. Zandy's testimony on HB 5032
2005
Testimony
Monday,
March 21, 2005
HB
6715, An Act Concerning Strike Contingency Plans For Health
Care Institutions
CHA
submitted testimony opposing this bill as unnecessary, given
existing regulation of hospitals that includes requirements
relating to strike contingency planning.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Friday,
March 18, 2005
HB
6768, An Act Concerning Public Disclosure Of Staffing Levels
In Certain Health Care Facilities
Elizabeth
Beaudin, CHA Director of Nursing and Workforce Initiatives,
testified in opposition to this bill, which would require
hospitals to post staffing information in patient care areas
on a daily shift-to-shift basis, compile and report this
information monthly to the Department of Public Health,
and be subject to civil penalties of up to five thousand
dollars per day should they fail to comply.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
March 15, 2005
SB
1274, An Act Concerning Companies That Violate State Labor
Or Employment Laws
CHA
submitted testimony in opposition to this bill, which would
create harsh, cumulative, and unconstitutional punishment
for employers that would bear no rational relationship to
the employer's underlying infraction.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
March 8, 2005
SB
277, An Act Concerning Employer Communications About Politics,
Religion Or Labor Organizing Activities
John
Zandy, partner at the law firm of Wiggin and Dana, testified
on behalf of CHA in opposition to this bill, which would
make it illegal for employers to require their employees
to attend employer-sponsored meetings or to participate
in communications with them regarding union activities.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
March 1, 2005
HB
6758, An Act Concerning Union Activities Relative To Certain
Recipients Of State Funds
John
Zandy, partner at the law firm of Wiggin and Dana, testified
on behalf of CHA in opposition to this bill, which if passed,
would be preempted, and therefore invalid, because it would
establish standards inconsistent with the substantive requirements
of the National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA"). Click
here to view the testimony.
SB
1168, An Act Concerning Support for Schools of Nursing,
Allied Health and Pharmacy
SB
1050, An Act Implementing the Governor's Budget Recommendations
Concerning Higher Education
Liz
Beaudin, CHA Director, Nursing and Workforce Initiatives,
testified in support of these bills, which would assist
in addressing current and future faculty shortages that
are barriers to creating an adequate healthcare workforce.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Thursday,
February 24, 2005
HB
6225, An Act Requiring Recipients Of State Financial Assistance
To Sign Neutrality Agreements
John
Zandy, partner at the law firm of Wiggin and Dana, testified
on behalf of CHA in opposition to this bill, which would
require nonprofit organizations that are receiving loans,
grants, guarantees, or tax abatements from the state or
any of its agencies to sign a "neutrality agreement" prohibiting
the organizations from engaging in certain forms of activities
that might deter union organizing. Click
here to view the testimony.
2004
Testimony
Thursday,
March 4, 2004
HB
5447, An Act Concerning Distribution of Literature To Employees
On Employer Premises
HB 5490, An Act Prohibiting Captive Audience Meetings
Kim
Hostetler, CHA Vice President and Chief of Staff, testified
against both these bills, which are superceded by federal
law. Click here
to view the testimony.
SB
469, An Act Concerning Mandatory Limits on Overtime in Hospitals
and Nurse-To-Patient-Ratios
Click here to view
the testimony of Linda Berger Spivack,
Vice President of Patient Care Services at Midstate Medical
Center.
Click here to view
the testimony of Allison Breault,
Vice President of Patient Care Services at Windham Community
Memorial Hospital.
Tuesday,
March 2, 2004
SB
515, Act Addressing The Nursing Shortage
SB 517, An Act Concerning Workforce Development
SB 519, An Act Concerning Allied Health Workforce Needs
HB 5570, An Act Concerning A Comprehensive Connecticut Workforce
Strategic Plan
Liz
Beaudin, CHA's Director of Nursing and Workforce Initiatives,
testified in support of these bills. Click
here to view the testimony.
Friday,
February 27, 2004
SB
385, An Act Requiring Recipients Of State Financial Assistance
To Sign Neutrality Agreements
Kim Hostetler, CHA Vice President and Chief of Staff,
testified against this bill, which would require recipients
of state financial assistance to sign labor neutrality agreements.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
February 24, 2004
HB
5396, An Act Requiring Recipients Of State Financial Assistance
To Sign Neutrality Agreements
Kim Hostetler, CHA Vice President and Chief of Staff, testified
against this bill, which would require recipients of state
financial assistance to sign labor neutrality agreements.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
February 17, 2004
SB
56, An Act Concerning Mandatory Overtime In Health Care
Facilities
CHA
testified against this bill, which would prohibit mandatory
overtime in hospitals.
Click
here to view the testimony.
2003
Testimony
Tuesday,
March 18, 2003
SB
975, An Act Concerning Elimination Of Payment For Administratively
Necessary Days
CHA
submitted written testimony, which requires the Department
of Social Services (DSS) to eliminate payments for Administratively
Necessary Days (ANDs) effective July 1, 2003.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Thursday,
February 20, 2003
SB
426, An Act Concerning Maximum Work Hours For Health Care
Facility Workers
CHA
presented written testimony opposing this bill. CHA's
testimony on this bill.
SB
845, An Act Eliminating Mandatory Overtime In Health Care
Facilities
CHA
presented written testimony opposing this bill. CHA's
testimony on this bill.
HB
5536, An Act Prohibiting The Hiring Of Professional Replacement
Workers
CHA
presented written testimony opposing this bill. CHA's
testimony on this bill.
Thursday,
February 13, 2003
CHA
Presents Testimony on the Workforce Shortage
CHA
Vice President and Chief of Staff Kim Hostetler presented
testimony on the healthcare workforce shortage to the Committee
on Higher Education and Employment Advancement. Click
here to view the testimony.
Friday,
February 7, 2003
HB
6211, An Act Concerning The Establishment Of Written Ergonomics
Policies For The Workplace
CHA
presented written testimony on this bill. CHA's
testimony on this bill
HB
6216, An Act Requiring Recipients Of State Financial Assistance
To Sign Neutrality Agreements
CHA
presented written testimony in opposition to this bill.
CHA's testimony on this
bill
Tuesday,
February 4, 2003
SB
250, An Act Concerning Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
CHA
presented written testimony in support of this bill.
CHA's testimony on this
bill
SB
424, An Act Establishing A Program For Impaired Nurses
CHA
presented written testimony to the Public Health Committee
in support of this bill. CHA's
testimony on this bill
2002
Testimony
Thursday,
March 14, 2002
SB
416, An Act Concerning Working Hours Of Certain Hospital
Employees
CHA
Vice President and Chief of Staff Kim Hostetler testified
in opposition to the proposed statutory prohibition on the
use of mandatory overtime in hospitals. CHA's
testimony on these bills
Tuesday,
March 12, 2002
SB
553, An Act Addressing The Shortage Of Radiological Technologists
And Other Allied Health Professionals And Adjusting The
Nurse-To-Technician Staffing Ratios For Kidney Dialysis
Units
CHA
submitted testimony in support of the proposed legislation
to address the shortage of radiological technologists and
other allied health professionals. CHA's
testimony on this bill
Tuesday,
March 5, 2002
HB
5025, An Act Concerning Institutional Pharmacies
CHA
Vice President of Patient Care and Regulatory Services Carrie
Brady testified that HB 5025 is an important step in addressing
the shortage of pharmacists and reducing drug costs. Carrie
also testified that there were operational issues in the
drafting of the bill that CHA would like to work out with
the Committee and the Department of Consumer Protection.
Thursday,
February 28, 2002
SB
367, An Act Addressing The Shortage Of Nurses, Allied Health
Professionals, Dental Hygienists And Dental Assistants
CHA
Vice President and Chief of Staff Kim Hostetler testified
in support of CHA's proposal to provide loans to nurses,
allied health professionals, dental hygienists and dental
assistants. CHA's testimony on this bill.
Tuesday,
February 26, 2002
SB
321, An Act Establishing A Nurse Intervention Program:
CHA submitted testimony in support of the establishment
of a nurse intervention program. CHA's testimony on this bill.
HB
5421, An Act Concerning Connecticut Career Choices Program:
CHA submitted testimony in support of the proposal to create
special permits to allow professionals to teach elective
courses in identified workforce shortage areas. CHA's testimony on this bill.
Thursday,
February 14, 2002
HB
5063, An Act Eliminating Mandatory Overtime in Health Care
Facilities
CHA
Vice President and Chief of Staff Kim Hostetler testified
in opposition to the proposed statutory prohibition on the
use of mandatory overtime in hospitals. CHA's testimony on this bill.
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