Begley Testifies at House Subcommittee Hearing

AONL CEO Robyn Begley. DNP, RN testified this week before a joint oversight hearing of two subcommittees of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Begley, who is the American Hospital Association’s CNO and senior vice president of workforce, said long-building structural changes in the workforce combined with the pandemic have caused a national staffing emergency. She called for policies to improve clinician well-being, destigmatize mental health, address overall wellness and protect workers from violence. She explained how hospitals are supporting their workforces and developing team-based models to support staffing. She urged Congress to invest in nursing education and faculty; provide scholarships and loan repayment; reauthorize and increase funding for the National Health Service Corps; support foreign-trained health workers; and investigate travel nurse agency practices. (AHA News article, 5/17/23)