Posted by Webmaster on February 02, 1999 at 18:48:04:
-----Original Message-----
From: Bud Nornes [mailto:rep.bud.nornes@house.leg.state.mn.us]
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 1999 5:04 PM
To: melfrank@aavox.com
Subject: Re: HF 60
HF 60 passed through the Health and Human Services policy committee this morning. It was passed with 100% support....it makes a lot os sense...it has a couple of other stops to make before it comes to the floor of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Bud Nornes
>>> "Melvin L. Frank" Dear Bud, Just a brief word on HF60 authored by Representative Haas regarding Private Duty Nursing. This is an area that has touched my family deeply in the last few years. My wife and I have loved and cared for a very medically complex foster child for the last five years. During this time we have met with many families who also care for medically complex, technology dependant children. Finally as PATH Foster Parents we have become intimately knowledgeable of the stress and difficulty of providing professional nursing care for those in need of this level of service. One of the common problems in caring for medically dependant family members is the inability of most nursing services to cover all of the required shifts with fully oriented professional nurses. Missed shifts can occur due to weather, lack of qualified employees, and many other factors. As parents we are also very particular that those who care for our child have the proper skills and attitude that will allow our daughter to prosper. We haven't always been able to find the people that we need for these services and have spent many sleepless nights monitoring equipment, IV's, and providing nursing care for our foster daughter. Our own situation is actually of small consequence compared to the many difficulties of families who live in the Cities and don't have the This legislation makes sense and I would appreciate your support of the bill. Finally I would request that you eliminate the proposed paragraph B section 2 (line 2.22 - 2.24) that requires that the "individual must reduce hours worked and income received at other employment in order to provide supplemental private duty nursing services to the recipient." Hours worked are hours worked. If my wife has to work eight hours to provide professional nursing to my foster daughter due to a failed shift and then has to work other hours at a regularly scheduled job it shouldn't make a difference. She had to work and should be allowed to be reimbursed for the professional services provided. Thanks for taking this responsibility as our representative. Your work is appreciated. Mel
Melvin L. Frank
commitment of service that we take for granted here in Fergus Falls. Many families in other parts of Minnesota experience a loss of up to 20% of their required services due to staff shortages and missed shifts.