Sixteen states and Washington, DC, have passed sharps legislation in the past two years. Legislation in all states covers public as well as private employees. Last year, AORN announced the formation of a legislative grassroots network to inform a critical mass of AORN members about issues important to perioperative nursing. Our goal is to identify one AORN member in each congressional and legislative district. Currently, approximately 600 members have volunteered to contact and educate representatives regarding perioperative issues and to track legislation and regulation related to AORN's legislative priorities.
Grassroots organization is an essential part of promoting or opposing legislation.
Members of the legislative grassroots network in Kentucky acted early this year to promote RNFA reimbursement and oppose ST reimbursement for first assisting. The grassroots network also worked to address ST registration and certification and other issues in California, Delaware, Iowa, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. At the federal level, the grassroots network also succeeded after HR 3911 was introduced under the jurisdiction of the US House of Representatives Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. AORN identified and contacted AORN members in the districts of the congressional members who sit on those committees. Information about becoming politically active is available to all AORN members in the Primer for Effective Lobbying, which explains how to write a letter to elected officials, make telephone calls or schedule meetings with representatives, or work with the media.