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February 2016 Newsletter

Posted over 9 years ago by Regina Sanders

This announcement has 1 attachment:
2016 FNPN January February New Bullets (340 KB)
Good Morning!

We would like to bring you up to date on what's new in your own backyard of Florida.

In this newsletter you will find the following contents:
  • FNPN Legislative update
  • FNPN Conference Update
  • FNPN PAC Update
  • Job Announcement
  • Membership update
  • News You Can Use

Quote of the Month

"Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken."
- Albert Camus

FNPN Legislative Update

Dr. Doreen Cassarino – VP Legislation

Thank you for the confidence that was instilled in me by electing me to the position of FNPN First Vice President Legislative Affairs. I am aware of the big shoes that I have to fill in my predecessor, Jean Aertker. She has laid the foundation for which I am committed to build upon as we move forward removing practice barriers.  Along with our lobby team led by Allison Carvajal, FNPN is advocating for several bills this year. I have included a status update of the major bills of interest. President, Janet DuBois, and myself traveled to Tallahassee in January during FNA Advocacy Days. Several key legislators welcomed continued dialogue from us, FNPN, as we discussed current and future bills.

The legislative session started only a few short weeks ago but has been very busy! Stay tuned for "Breaking News" announcements as the session proceeds as well as requests for members to participate in advocacy campaigns.

Doreen Cassarino, DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, FAANP
First Vice President Legislative Affairs

Relating to Ordering of Medications

SB 152 By Senator Grimsley and HB 1241 by Representative Plasecncia
  • SB 152- Allows NPs and licensed PAs to order controlled substances under the direction of a supervisory for physician for patients in hospitals. Passed favorably out of the Health and Human Services Committee with a vote of 8 Yeas, 0 Nays. Now in Appropriations Committee
  • HB 1241- Relating to Ordering of Medication-Sponsored by Representative Plasencia Authorizes an ARNP to order any medication for administration to a patient in a hospital, ambulatory surgical center, mobile surgical center, or nursing home, within the framework of an established protocol. Has passed favorably out of all committees of reference and now on House Calendar on 2nd Reading.
  • SB 946- By Senator Grimsley: Similar to SB 152 but also allows NPs and PAs to also order in nursing homes. On Health Policy Committee Agenda for 2/9/16

Involuntary Examinations under the Baker Act

  • HB 325- By Rep. Daphne Campbell and 572 by Sen. Thad Altman. This legislation authorizes NPs and PAs to initiate involuntary examinations under Baker Act of persons believed to have mental illness.
  • HB 325- Passed the full House with 111 Yeas/4 Nays

  • SB 572- Has passed the Healthy Policy Committee and now in Judiciary Committee which is the last committee of reference.

Relating to Health Care

HB 423- By Representative Pigman and SB 676 by Senator Grimsley
  • HB 423- Would allow NPs and PAs to prescribe controlled substances. The bill lists the grounds for disciplinary action, including the prescribing of controlled substances for personal use; presigning blank prescription forms, prescribing human growth hormones for muscle building, etc. It also restricts the prescribing of controlled substances in pain management to physicians. Has passed all committees of reference and now placed on House Calendar 2nd reading.

  • SB 676- This bill contains the prescribing authority language of HB 423. Both HB 423 and SB 6786 contain a provision that prohibits health insurers from retroactively denying claims.
SB 676 also does the following which is not included in HB 432:
  • Eliminates the medical-nursing Joint Commission and instead requires the Board of Nursing (BON) to establish a committee that will develop a formulary of drugs that nurses can or cannot prescribe, along with specific uses and limited quantities and specifies that the committee will be comprised of three ARNPs, three physicians, and a pharmacist.

  • Requires that only psychiatric nurses can prescribe mental health controlled substances to children.

  • Limits Schedule II drugs to a 7-day prescription, but this would not apply to psychiatric nurses.

  • Limits controlled substances prescribing authority to those ARNPs who graduated from a program leading to a master's or doctoral degree in a clinical nursing specialty area with training in specialized practitioner skills.
  • Requires that, as part of their 30 hour continuing education, ARNPs take three hours of continuing education in controlled substance prescribing;

Was referenced to four committees. It has passed two committees and was removed from the third. Now in final committee-Appropriations.

Behavioral Health Workforce

SB 1250- by Senator Latvala and HB 977 by Representative Peters
  • This bill makes several changes that remove barriers for healthcare professionals to provide mental health services. It allows psychiatric nurses to release a patient involuntary examined under the Baker Act from any receiving facility, not just receiving facilities owned or operated by a hospital or health system as was passed into law last year. It also requires a PA or NP who prescribes any controlled substance for the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain to register with DOH as a controlled substance prescribing practitioner. This new requirement also subjects PAs and ARNPs who are registered as a controlled substance prescribing practitioner to meet the statutory practice standards for such prescribing practitioners.

  • SB 1250- Was reference to three committees. It has been placed on it's first committee agenda Children, Families, and Elder Affairs for 2/10/16

  • HB 977- Has passed all committees of reference and is now on the House Calendar 2nd reading.

FNPN Conference Update

The 2016 Annual Conference will be August 18th – 20th at the Lido Beach Resort in Sarasota. More information will be available soon.

FNPN PAC Update

Dr. Laureen M. Fleck  Chairperson - Political Action Committee

As voters, we are in a position to support the candidate of our choice by promoting their campaign not only on Election Day but by participation and promotion of the candidate's campaign promises.

Advanced practice nurses in Florida have not been able to practice to the full extent of our scope of practice and education because of political restrictions imposed on us in the House and Senate.

Our PAC committee will be traveling throughout the state to raise money and participate in fund raising efforts to build OUR VOICE in the Florida political arena. We will also support the candidates that support our issues by monetary contributions to their campaigns.

We need your help! Money is Power!! A brilliant legislative session is expected and we are closer than ever to reach our goals. We have a lobbyist working with us. We are well informed and networked in Tallahassee. She keeps the constant flow of information current. We cannot achieve our goals with this disruption of policy and politics! Without you, your patients, family and community support we are invisible. Become a member of the FNPN PAC Committee.

Consider your commitment to our profession. We are ARNPs in private practice, hospital settings, colleges, universities and clinics throughout the state! We are YOU !

If each person in our membership donated $10 and asked 5 more people to donate $10 we would be on our way to political success! We have a membership of 4,300  ARNPs in Florida. We are solid, we are YOU!

To make a contribution please Click Here

Job Announcements!

There have been many new job postings around the state on our web site at www.fnpn.org  for those of you that may have an interest. On our new website, the most recent postings are on the front page. A new feature will allow postings to be visible for 90 days. Please feel free to pass this along to your colleagues who may be interested in it as well, or who may have an interest in finding out more about our network. For those of you that have found jobs on our website, please be sure to let us know!

Do you know an employer who might find the FNPN Job posting a worthwhile site? If so, please be sure to tell them about the website and the fact that on average 20 or more jobs are posted each month.  The traffic to our website is incredible and we have more and more folks seeking employment through this site than ever before.  Let them know you saw it on the FNPN Website!

Membership Update

Dr. Cindy Parsons-Membership Chair

As we recognize Heart Health this month and celebrate our advanced practice contributions to increasing public awareness, promoting preventative efforts and managing with our patients their cardiovascular health, we need to remember that this is the outcome of shared vision, concerted effort and advocacy. It is amazing what the strength of groups can accomplish. We are asking you to join or renew your membership in FNPN and help us to grow and strengthen our association.

One may ask, "Why is membership in FNPN so important?" The FNPN membership is shaping nurse practitioner practice in Florida and we need the support of every licensed nurse practitioner in this state to further our mission. FNPN has been involved in every legislative accomplishment for nurse practitioners in Florida since 2002. Much work lies ahead of us in 2016 and we will continue an aggressive legislative push to further reduce arbitrary barriers to NP practice.

The benefits of membership in FNPN include:

Legislative advocacy-FNPN is the state-wide association working to advance and protect your practice in Florida. Through our national affiliations we help resolve federal barriers to practice. Your membership will help you to protect your practice and your profession. Education and Networking-There are eight regions and twenty seven local groups that  serve our members. These groups are managed by nurse practitioner      members who volunteer their time to provide leadership, education, meetings, teaching events and more. They offer you the best opportunity to network and collaborate with NPs in your local area. Your colleagues are often your best source of insight and a range of expertise. FNPN serves as a resource for these leaders and supports them as they strive to keep members up to date about state and federal legislation that affects NPs. FNPN provides you the opportunity to connect with nurse practitioners and other professionals across town and around the state. Our annual conference is attended by hundreds of NPs and our members receive preferred pricing. FNPN members can receive discounts on educational products through our strategic partners.

News You Can Use

The Florida NP Network has taken the next step to keep our members informed. Keep abreast of changes in your practice around the state and around the nation. You can join us today on Facebook under Florida Nurse Practitioner and Twitter under FloridaNP. We hope to hear from you.

CE Broker- Did you know that full members can get a discount to CE Broker? Click Here to find out more!

NPs are needed for a medical relief trip to Nicaragua July 9-17, 2016
  • The trip is the 5th annual LECOM interdisciplinary medical relief trip through the JustHope and DOCare organizations. We provide clinical care in the rural Chacraseca area of Nicaragua outside the City of Leon while educating RN-BSN, Medical, and Pharmacy students.

This is the best link for the trip information: Click Here

But this one is also very informative for those who may choose to come with us: Click Here

 

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