Email+to+Congressman

November 6, 2011

The Honorable Rusty Crowe 808 East 8th Avenue Johnson City, TN 37601

Dear Senator Crowe:

My name is Joy Alu, a current nursing student at the East Tennessee State University and I am from Johnson City, TN. I am writing to you concerning a bill (HB2121) that impacts the lives of millions of men and women across the country. I am one of the many who this bill will impact if it is passed. There are many that I know who provide personal support services to clients living in their own private residence. Some are family members who have to assist these clients in taking their medications. I have faced similar situations. The HB2121 bill requires that there be medication assistance training developed by a registered nurse prior to assisting the client in their own private residence with their medications. I can appreciate a hospital setting or a clinic where such training is necessary. The most challenging thing about this bill is the fact that if it is passed, then the possibility of thousands not receiving their medications on time for several days may occur because their care takers are busy getting trained on what they already know how to do.

From time immemorial many did not require any special training to be able to read a simple prescription instruction from their physician and follow through at their private residence. I am asking for your support and leadership in efforts to stop this bill from being passed. Additionally, this bill will put an undue financial burden on small business owners and registered nurses by requiring them to provide such training. It will also take away the time they would have used to attend to more pressing matters. I know that our Health Care system is not perfect and does have its problems, but I do not feel that this bill is the answer. Granted there may be few instances of medication errors but I believe that errors are bound to occur, whether training is received or not in this case. However, I believe that in the nursing profession and many health care facilities, it is necessary that person’s administering medications be well trained before they do so.

Furthermore, the emotional and physical consequences the passing of this bill may cause all involved parties may be profound. The strong desire to stop this bill from being passed and spare millions of the unnecessary burden of going to get trained on what they already know how to do, and on what they’ve been doing for years, gives me the strength to believe and hope that this bill will be stopped, but I sincerely need your support to oppose it.

Thank you for your exemplary leadership acumen and service to our nation and for your consideration of this important bill. I am hopeful that you will be able to help in efforts to stop this bill.

Sincerely yours,

Joy Alu Current ETSU Nursing Student Masters (Information Tech. Mgmt. /Christian Edu.) Bachelors (Agric. Tech. /Christian Psych. & Counseling) Johnson City, TN 37604