WVU student nurses join “Nurses Day at the Legislature”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nurses were invited Feb. 10 to the West Virginia State Capitol to meet with legislators, attend committee meetings and get to know nursing policy leaders during “Nurses Day at the Capitol.” Several West Virginia University School of Nursing students attended the event, including Jenna Wermers and Ateria Walker, who are members of the WVU Student Nurses Association.
“Being at the Nurses Day at the Legislature was rather intimidating, as I was there as a student nurse who has never met a legislator,” Wermers said. “I got to become really intimate with the process that a bill has to go through to become a law and learned from the event the absolute importance of advocation for nurses by nurses.”
Walker, too, said she learned a lot at the 2022 Nurses Day at the Legislature.
“I learned how important it is to communicate with representatives from the House and Senate to discuss important bills regarding our nursing profession and patient safety,” Walker said. “Being able to help advocate for the nursing profession and patient safety was a wonderful experience.”
During the event, Wermers met Cindy Sylvia, a nurse from her district in the Eastern Panhandle. Together, they attended meetings and discussed nursing issues with the legislators. The West Virginia Nurses Association is advocating for five specific bills to improve the profession of nursing in the Mountain State — House Bill 4351; House Bill 4581; House Bill 4111; House Bill 2345; and Senate Bill 271.
“The representatives from the House and Senate were very interested in understanding how these bills affect me as a nursing student as well as how the bills affect registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses,” Walker said.
For example, she said she was able to share with them personal experiences regarding how House Bill 4581 would benefit the nursing profession.
“Throughout the pandemic, everyone has seen what nurses are capable of and what they are worth to the U.S., yet we still find ourselves not practicing to the best of our ability, being bogged down with patient ratios that are unsafe, and being unable to refuse them to protect ourselves, our patients and our licenses,” Wermers said of the importance of advocating for the profession of nursing.
Walker agreed that it is important to remain engaged in ongoing legislation because these bills will directly impact nurses.
“We need to allow our voices to be heard so that we can make changes that can benefit our professional field. In nursing school, we learn that one of the most important roles as a nurse is to be an advocate for their patient,” Walker said. “Events like this allow student nurses and working professionals to be an advocate for themselves as well as their patients.”
Wermers added that participation at the state level is especially important.
“If just one or two states can become an example of these bills working, it is more likely that other states will follow suit. Also, state events offer an opportunity for you to sit down person-to-person and share the importance of these bills.”
Both Walker and Wermers said they are thankful for their experience at Nurses Day at the Legislature.
“Speaking with delegates and representatives is nerve-racking the first time, but with practice, it will become more of a second nature,” Wermers said. “I am also excited to see where advocating and campaigning for these and similar bills will take nursing in the future.”
-WVU-
CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu