Eddie Bernice Johnson: A Trailblazer in Nursing and Politics
Eddie Bernice Johnson is well-known for becoming the first registered nurse to be elected to Congress. Her accomplishments in that position have been extraordinary, as she has overcome numerous challenges in her career as a nurse and politician. She has introduced and supported numerous bills (congress.gov, 2017). She represents Texas' 30th Congressional District. She has defended nursing and advocated for increased healthcare access for her constituents since being elected to Congress. In every discussion she has been involved in, she always takes the chance to talk regarding the worth of professional nurses, the importance of investing in nursing as a profession as well as the value of trying to perceive the entire prospects of the abilities of nurses. Johnson sponsored a legislation regarding the National Nurses Week, and has advocated for nursing education that she believes is significant in an effort to address the shortage of nurses. In the recent past, Johnson reestablished H.B. 485, which is the 2013 National Nurse Act. The varying contributions by nurses in prevention of diseases and public health are recognized in H.B. 485 bill. According to Johnson, this act is intended to institute the position of a Public Health National Nurse, as well as uplift the profession's profile to Surgeon General Level (Nursing-theory.org, 2017). It also lifts up the significance of Chief Nurse Officer and asserts that nurses are I a perfect position to uphold justice in the society and Americans' wellness. During her career, Johnson worked on a task force for healthcare and together with other nurses she has helped her coworkers in understanding the Affordable Care Act. In addition, she has aided in the understanding to the impact the insurance organizations have on the costs of healthcare as well as the expense that relates to the use of Emergency Department to treat primary care clients (Daniels, 2015).
The Impact of Never Events Reimbursement Rules on Healthcare Providers
Q2.
CMS has denied reimbursement for conditions that are acquired in hospital and has banned hospitals from directly charging the clients these conditions as they should never happen. The main intention of the policy is to prevent fiscal costs on the government from the improper patient care provided by healthcare providers (cms.gov, 2006). Never events are defined as medical care errors that can be undoubtedly identified, prevented, and are grave in their costs for patients, which point toward a genuine problem in the credibility and safety of a facility providing healthcare. Indeed, the never event reimbursement rules by CMS asked for a change in delivery models for patient care in facilities providing inpatient services. Healthcare providers have been offered an opportunity to take the role of leadership in stopping the avoidable incidences. For example, physicians have a duty to increase the precaution level that they employ against complications of never events as they are judiciously preventable if evidence-based recommendations are followed strictly. In addition, skilled nurses have a responsibility to minimize clinical errors, because most of never events are sensitive to nursing, especially patient falls and pressure ulcers. Nurses are currently perceived as an investment and not a cost because by increasing the nursing staff, the patient care quality is enhanced and incidences that are preventable are reduced (Elsevier, 2010). Since there are evidence-based procedures that have been put in place as far as patient care is concerned, it is the role of every healthcare provider to recognize and adhere to the guidelines. The most important thing is that health care workers are currently getting familiar with all complications that CMS is likely to refute reimbursement, and be at a position to often review the appropriate guidelines to acquaint with practices that can eliminate or minimize the complication (O'Rourke and Hershey, 2009).
References
cms.gov. (2006). Eliminating Serious, Preventable, And Costly Medical Errors - Never Events. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2006-Fact-sheets-items/2006-05-18.html
Congress.gov (2017). Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from https://www.congress.gov/member/eddie-johnson/J000126
Daniels, J. (2015). From the Bedside to the Halls of Congress: Our National Nurses. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from http://minoritynurse.com/from-the-bedside-to-the-halls-of-congress-our-national-nurses/
Elsevier (2010). Nursing Takes The Lead: Nurses Have a Big Role in Preventing ‘Never Events’. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from http://www.confidenceconnected.com/blog/2010/07/28/nursing_takes_the_lead_nurses_have_a_big_role_in_preventing_never_even/
Nursing-theory.org (2017). Eddie Bernice Johnson, Congresswoman. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from http://www.nursing-theory.org/famous-nurses/Eddie-Bernice-Johnson.php
O’Rourke, P. and Hershey, K. (2009). Never-Event Implications. Retrieved online on 27th Sep., 2017 from http://www.the-hospitalist.org/hospitalist/article/124081/never-event-implications
