HR Pulse - Winter 2008 - (Page 24)

>> A CASE STUDY IN RAISING VOICES MHA’s legislative liaison with making MSHHRA members smarter advocates. “Working in collaboration with MHA educated us about the whole advocacy process,” she says. “We gained very important insights about what works well and what doesn’t in terms of being effective.” In her testimony before legislators, Morin-Scribner cited statistics from California to show that mandated ratios were not achieving desired outcomes, pointed to the need for ﬂexibility in meeting stafﬁng demands, and described activities under way across the state to attract people to the nursing profession. And while supporters of the proposed legislation touted a provision to provide nurses with “whistleblower” protection, she and her fellow opponents pointed out that all employees in Maine, including nurses, already have that type of shield under the Maine Whistleblowers’ Protection Act. As an HR professional, Morin-Scribner knew she could play a vital role in the debate by making the case on behalf of her profession directly to lawmakers and by forging alliances with other organizations that have similar goals. She also recognized she could play a role by identifying someone to tell the story from the nurses’ perspective. Getting Personal “I knew what would resonate most with committee members would be to hear from the nurses themselves; that they would lend the all-important voice to the issue,” explains Morin-Scribner. She found a passionate and articulate spokesperson in Cathy Dunn, RN, and invited her to participate in the legislative hearing. She encouraged Dunn to share her views and provided general moral support for stepping outside her comfort zone. “I was very nervous before I did it,” says Dunn. “But we all decided that this legislation was not what was best for nurses, and I knew we needed to get our viewpoint across. It was nerve-wracking at ﬁrst to be in a room full of legislators and nurses—it was standing-room only at the hearing. But I spoke from my heart, based on my own experience. I was representing not just myself but also my fellow nurses. It was an honor.” In the end, the mandatory stafﬁng bill did not become law in Maine. “What I learned from the whole experience is that you can have an impact,” says Morin-Scribner. “We knew ﬁghting this bill would be a big challenge, and the outcome we got far exceeded our expectations.” “It was so rewarding to know that I had some part in making a difference and that by coming together with one voice we were able to take a stand,” according to Dunn. “Having done this, I realize that if you’re passionate about something you can come together as a group, or you can just sit back and watch things happen to you.” ■ 24 HR Pulse Winter 2008 Call us at 866-843-9555. www.constangy.com Class Action Defense • Litigation Prevention • Labor Relations • Employee Benefits OSHA • Wage Hour • Immigration • Affirmative Action 393781_Constangy.indd 1 7/30/08 8:42:34 PM http://www.constangy.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Winter 2008

HR Pulse - Winter 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Karmen Reid Advocacy is for Everyone A Case Study in Raising Voices Diversity Management Measuring What Matters Bullying as Gender Harassment Combat Workforce Changes Hardwiring Accountability Immigration Frustration HR and Education Making Exit Interviews Count Management Styles that Enhance Intrinsic Motivation Backup Care Fact or Fiction 10 Ways to Lose Your Best People Advertisers’ Index

HR Pulse - Winter 2008

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