Sacramento, CA – Jimmy Gomez, Political Director for the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), testified before the California State Assembly Insurance Committee on April 22, 2009, in support of AB 664 regarding new presumptions in workers compensation for direct healthcare providers. The bill passed in committee by a vote of 7 to 3.
Authored by Nancy Skinner, assembly member for the 14th District, AB 664 provides that back or neck injuries, MRSA (Methicillin-
“Registered Nurses, like any other direct healthcare providers, have an increased likelihood of exposure to certain injuries and illnesses due to the nature of their work,” stated Gomez. “The safety concerns posed under these working conditions, particularly considering the physical nature of patient care provision and the increasing number of patients with more severe conditions, must be taken into account under workers compensation laws.”
Nurses rank third in the number of work days missed due to illnesses and injuries, according to a study conducted by the 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics. While current infection control measures attempt to control the spread of blood-borne infectious diseases like MSRA, one of the most virulent types of antibiotic-resistant staph infections, the measures cannot completely eliminate these serious job-related threats.
“Passage of AB 664 shows a respect for and understanding of the inarguable risks registered nurses and other direct healthcare providers encounter when caring for families throughout California,”
