HLG Blog: Legislation in 2008?
Read about HLG’s ongoing effort to work on Congress to have a Schedule A visa bill passed that ends retrogression. This month’s Blog entries include: how HLG is working to end the Schedule A retrogression, information about our Coalition strategy, a look ahead at key dates in 2008, and many other entries. Are you checking it regularly?
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/

The Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing (CTIHS) seeks more members
CTIHS is looking to add additional members to its ranks. The goal of the CTIHS is to increase visa options for Healthcare workers. Toward that end they are seeking to raise considerable funds and add new members to help broadcast the message to Congressmen, Senators, and the general public.
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/2007/12/ctihs-funding-drive-2008.html

http://www.ctihs.org

2007 NCLEX Fact Sheet
The annual NCLEX Fact Sheet is always an interesting read. It shows that internationally trained nurses took about one-fourth of all NCLEX exams. Philippine nationals led international test takers, representing 21,449 of the 54,219 international test takers.
https://www.ncsbn.org/NCLEX_Stats_2007_Q4.pdf

Update on Filipino Long Island Nurse Scandal
The New York Times recently printed an update to the Sentosa Care lawsuits in which 26 Filipino nurses and a physical therapist walked off of the job in April 2006. The workers claim that Sentosa Care broke many promises that were made in their recruitment. The Suffolk County prosecutors office says that the broken promises are irrelevant and that the walk off should not have happened.
http://www.nytimes.com [link shortened]

Fla Ctr for Nursing: Shortage to intensify
Florida's nurse employers expect an existing nursing shortage to intensify, but a lack of faculty and clinical space is hampering the growth of the state's nursing schools, two surveys released by the Florida Center for Nursing show. http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/01/21/daily14.html?surround=lfn

Nurses (Still) Wanted
Sacramento-area hospitals are still struggling to comply with the state's landmark nurse-to-patient ratio law five years after the initial rules took effect. The hospitals have staffed up despite a statewide and national nursing shortage. Vacancies for registered nurses at local hospitals have plummeted 69 percent since early 2004. http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/01/14/focus1.html?jst=s_cn_hl

AACN: Faculty Shortage Fact Sheet
Faculty shortages at nursing schools across the country are limiting student capacity at a time when the need for nurses continues to grow. Budget constraints, an aging faculty, and increasing job competition from clinical sites have contributed to this emerging crisis.
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/pdf/FacultyShortageOct07.pdf

2008 NCSBN Midyear Meeting
The 2008 NCSBN Midyear and Annual Meeting is set for March 3-5, 2008 in Chicago. The Meeting seeks to underscore “that the key to success in the vital mission to protect the public’s safety and welfare is for nursing regulators to work in concert, blending their talents and striking the right chords to harmonize the present regulatory environment and prepare for forthcoming challenges and opportunities.”
http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Invitation.aspx?e=9d7805c7-018c-4d0e-9bc1-25a1a6d3bcf1

Save the date: Symposium on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Workers presented by Hammond Law Group, LLC will be held in New York City on Friday, May 2, 2008.

This event is tailored for representatives from hospitals, recruiting agencies, staffing companies, long-term care facilities and other stakeholders in the international healthcare staffing business. A detailed announcement will be released soon.

PROCESSING DATES