2009 - 2010 MANS  Legislative Platform

 

 

Earth Day Update from MANS Legislative Chair

 

 “No amount of medical knowledge will lessen the accountability of nurses to do, that is, manage the environment to promote positive life processes.” Florence Nightingale

 

Happy Earth Day! In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, MANS encourages you to be involved in promoting awareness of proper methods of disposing of medications and drug-take back facilities in Maryland.

Recent studies have discovered a variety of pharmaceuticals in our surface, ground and drinking water. Even small concentrations of such chemicals can have drastic detrimental effects on aquatic species and possibly on human health and development. What is even more alarming is that we have only recently developed the technology to detect such levels. Pharmaceuticals go down our toilets and drains and through the wastewater treatment plant, and we’ve yet to learn how to remove them.

 

We can decrease the amount of medications that go into our water through promotion of proper disposal methods and participating in pharmaceutical take back programs. Below we’ve included some links to provide you with more information about the US Fish and Wildlife Services’ Smarxt Disposal Program and a handy tool to find a drug take back location (and recycling centers for all manner of materials) near you:

 

 

 

 

2009 - 2010 MANS  Legislative Platform

My name is Melissa Dunston, and I’m your MANS 2009 - 2010 Legislative Chair. It is my goal as Legislative Chair to increase student awareness, confidence and participation in health care legislation and regulation. Information gathering and analysis are the first steps in becoming involved in Health Care Policy.

1. First, you need to learn who represents you. Our legislators are elected to represent us, and it is their job to listen to our opinions and needs!

http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/

2. Learn how a bill becomes a law.

It doesn’t have to be hard or painful to find out. You can review the process on the Federal Level via the old School House Rock Favorite “I”m Just a Bill” at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

For information on the state level go to
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/07leg/html/proc.html

 

3. Learn what issues are on the table, think, and act!

The Maryland General Assembly Site includes information such as: bill status, hearing schedule, roster of committes, etc. http://mlis.state.md.us/

 

 

Finding it hard to fish through ALL of the bills to find out what pertains to you as a Nursing Student? Nursing students can keep in the loop with what MANS is doing by checking the MANS  Facebook page or newsletter!