Funding will bolster availability of PPE, support testing and patient care capabilities

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (March 27, 2020) – The Emergency Nurses Association on Friday commended the signing into law of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, a comprehensive emergency stimulus package that includes billions of dollars to support emergency nurses and other front-line health care providers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill includes funding for several key needs which ENA has advocated for strongly on behalf of its members and all emergency nurses, including:

• A substantial increase in funding to increase the availability of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies needed by emergency nurses to ensure their safety and their ability to deliver high-quality care for patients
• Support of expanded testing across the country, including the development of alternative testing capabilities and assurance that those who need a test will receive one at no cost.
• Additional support for hospitals and community health centers on the front lines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ENA highlighted these, and several other, provisions in a series of recent letters to House and Senate leaders and the House and Senate Appropriations committees, as well as a letter sent in conjunction with numerous other health care organizations, to show support for funding that would give health care providers adequate resources amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

In addition, 2020 ENA President-elect Ron Kraus called on lawmakers to take action when he recently spoke on behalf of emergency nurses and other health care workers during a White House meeting of nursing leaders on March 18, while more than 14,000 letters from emergency nurses have been delivered to Congressional offices in just the last week after ENA put out a call-to-action to its members.

“As emergency nurses, we are prepared to face the challenge of COVID-19 head-on, all we have been asking for is the personal protective equipment and other resources needed to do so as safely as possible,” said ENA President Mike Hastings, MSN, RN, CEN. “The signing of the CARES Act will provide front-line health care workers with the personal protective equipment and improved testing capabilities on the front line so we can continue our important work combatting this pandemic.”