September 2016 Newsletter

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 Conference update
• From the Florida BON
• Safe and Effective Prescribing of Controlled Substances
• FNPN PAC Update
• Around the State and Around the Nation
• AANP Advocate State Award for Excellence
• Job Announcement
• Membership update
• News You Can Use

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Quote of the Month

"A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success." - Elbert Hubbard

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FNPN Conference Update

Dr. Arlene Wright, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC
Vice President/Education Florida Nurse Practitioner Network

The 2016 FNPN annual educational conference was a huge success! We want to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to our esteemed faculty, corporate sponsors, our exhibitors, the conference committee, BOD, Regina Pommer and of course the attendees! Our goal each year is to provide an opportunity for colleagues to network and reconnect all while earning valuable continuing education credits via a robust evidence based program.

Each year as we plan this event, we seek new ideas and encourage participation from our local groups. Our continued tradition is to strive to be bigger and better than the year before!

We have requested via the evaluation feedback from our members regarding preferred location. We have a "save the date" but are awaiting this valuable information to plan the 2017 conference.

Again...thank you to all!

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From the Board of Nursing

Please see the announcement below taken directly from the Florida Board of Nursing in regards to the Controlled Prescribing course requirement. Note it is required before your next renewal (starting Aug.1, 2016) and every renewal following (Biennial).

ARNP Renewal Update
Posted in Latest News on July 28, 2016.

A new continuing education requirement for licensure renewal will become effective on August 1, 2016, for Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) certified under S. 464.012, F.S. All ARNPs must now complete at least three (3) hours of continuing education on the safe and effec-tive prescription of controlled substances for each biennial renewal.

Providers approved by the following organizations can offer the required course to ARNPs:

Statewide Professional Association of Physicians in this state accredited to provide educational ac-tivities designated for the American Medical Association Physicians Recognition Award Category 1 credit

• American Nurses Credentialing Center
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners

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Safe & Effective Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Mandatory ARNP Continuing Education Requirement

Hosted by the FHA and the Florida Nurse Practitioners Network (FNPN)

FNPN and the Florida Hospital Association are pleased to offer a 3 hour controlled substance pre-scribing course that meets the Florida BON requirements for licensure renewal. This course will be available starting Nov. 1, online 24/7 for your convenience. The cost of the course is $5.00 for FNPN members and FHA member hospital employees and $95.00 for all others.

We are committed to offering you a professional course, written by experienced NPs and nationally recognized experts in CS prescribing, in a format that is convenient and continuing, allowing you to take the course when you need it. This course is a benefit for our loyal members who have support-ed FNPN over the last 14 years.

The BON requires that you take the course before your next ARNP license renewal date starting Au-gust 1, 2016.

Overview: This course complies with the Florida Board of Nursing requirement for 3 continuing education hours of controlled substance education in each biennial license renewal. Content includes prescribing of controlled substances (including opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants), prescrip-tion drug abuse and misuse, and best practices for clinical practice. Offered in an online format the program will be accessible 24/7 to enable participants the flexibility to complete the program at their convenience.

NOTE: Completion of this educational mandate is a Florida Board of Nursing license renewal requirement and is NOT a prerequisite to apply for a DEA number.

Sponsor
Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Foundation

Faculty:

• Janet DuBois, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP
• Doreen Cassarino, DNP, ARNP-BC, ADM-BC, FAANP
• Arlene Wright, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC
• George Byron-Smith, DNP, ARNP, GNP-BC
• Laureen Fleck, PhD, ARNP-BC
• Cindy Parsons, DNP, ARNP-BC, FAANP
• Gail Fox, MSN, ARNP-BC
• Jean Aertker, DNP, ARNP, COHN-S, FAANP
• Yvonne D'Arcy, MSN, ARNP
• Susan Pendergrass, MSN, MEd, FNP-BC

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Continuing Education:

FHA is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the Florida State Board of Nursing under Provider No. NCE2972. Eligibility for CEUs requires an 80% or higher on the post test and a completed evaluation form. Licensed Florida nurses will receive a certificate of participation for 3.0 hours of continuing nursing education.

The course content is pending approval for 3 hours of continuing education by the American As-sociation of Nurse Practitioners.

Registration Fees:

• $5.00 - FNPN Members and ARNPs employed by an FHA member hospital
• $95.00 - All other ARNPs

PRE-REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

Click Here to RSVP now for this program that will be available October 2016.

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FNPN PAC Update

Dr. Laureen M. Fleck Chairperson
Political Action Committee

We had a great response to our summer PAC events. At our annual FNPN conference our PAC committee members Gail Fox-Seamen, Tanya Miller, Jeanne Abdou and Laurie Desousa helped spread the word. Through our raffles; raffle baskets and 50/50 drawings along with PAC donations for our popular pashminas, we were able to raise approximately $5,000.00. This is our most successful fund raising event.

The money raised by our membership helps FNPN PAC to contribute to our local campaigns and candidates. These candidates are supportive of our issues and are screened through interviews and participation in our selection process.

Be involved!

Remember... All politics is local politics - Former House Speaker Tip O'Neill

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Around the State and Around Nation

Saturday, August 6, 2016: Dr. Loretta Ford, internationally-known nursing leader and the co-founder of the nurse practitioner role in 1965, received an honorary doctorate degree during the Summer graduation ceremonies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Ford's early research in public health nursing led to the creation of the first Pediatric Nurse Practitioner model of advanced practice at the University of Colorado Medical Center. Currently, more than 222,000 nurse practitioners are in practice in the U.S. and nearly 350 universities have implemented advanced registered nurse practitioner academic programs based on her research, including the USF Health College of Nursing which began in 1981. Dr. Ford has authored more than 200 publications and presentations, and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2011

Her nomination was submitted by the College of Nursing which was the first honorary doctorate from nursing since the school started in 1973. Over 1500 participated in the ceremonies with Presi-dent Dr. Judy Genshaft presiding. Former College of Nursing Dean Dianne Morrison-Beedy recently relocated to the United Kingdom to complete her Fulbright study, had initially approached D. Ford with the idea and then began to gather the endorsements for her nomination. The primary nomina-tors were Dr Rita D'Aoust and Dr. Jean Aertker. Dr. D'Aoust served as the Nursing Associate Dean in the College of Nursing and has recently accepted a new position at Johns Hopkins University in Balti-more MD. Rita has known Dr. Ford for many years and actually worked with Dr. Ford who served as Dean at the University of Rochester, New York before she retired and moved to Florida. Dr. Aertker is the AANP Region 11 Director and a USF CON alumni and was able to attend the ceremony along with Dr Ford's daughter and son-in-law, Valerie and Chris Monrad. Donna Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, Inter-im Dean, College of Nursing and Constance Visovsky, PHD, RN, ACNP, Associate Dean & Associate Professor accompanied Dr Ford during the processional and the ceremony. Dr. Ford's remarks to the graduates were very meaningful and timely, recalling key memorable points of her career and ended by offering a challenge to the new grads to don't be afraid to take risks and do so, but be well pre-pared. FNPN extends our congratulations to all the graduates and especially the BSN, Masters and Doctoral nursing graduates. How special to have this honored nursing leader address your com-mencement! Go Bulls!

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From AANP

The Advocate State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and acceptance of NPs. Examples of past recipients have been physicians, legislators, educators, etc. NPs are also eligible for the advocate award for non-clinical practice initiatives related to leadership, precepting, policy, politics, research, education, or community affairs. In 2015 the Advocate award went to State Representative Dr. Pig-man. In 2016 Senator Grimsley received the Advocate State Award for Excellence for championing NP practice bills during the FNPN Conference.

The NP State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual NP in each state who has demonstrated excellence in NP clinical practice. We have such wonderful talent in our state and you can self-nominate or nominate your colleague who you think has done an exceptional job doing what nurse practitioners do best - taking care of patients and making a difference. Don't hesitate to apply for this award.

Nominations are now open for the prestigious 2017 AANP State Award for Excellence. The Call for Nominations is now posted on AANP's website. The NP State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual NP in each state who has demonstrated excellence in NP clinical practice.

Membership in AANP is not a requirement to nominate someone or to be nominated. The deadline for nominations to be received by AANP is October 10, 2016. For more information and to begin the nomination process, visit https://stateawards.aanp.org/

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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!

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Membership Update

Dr. Cindy Parsons
Membership Chair

As we approach fall and the start of new semesters and cooler weather, we should take the opportunity to reflect on the gains made by FNPN and our members (groups and individual). 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 ag-gressive 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 prac-tice. Your membership will help you to protect your practice and your profession.

Education & 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 col-leagues are often your best source of insight and a range of expertise. FNPN serves as a re-source 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 annu-al 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.

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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!

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BREAKING NEWS:

DEA Confirms Registration Process:

In a recent email from the DEA, the agency confirmed the following information for ARNPs who want to apply for DEA registration.

• No applications for DEA registration will be accepted before Jan. 1, 2017.
• They do NOT require the 3 hour Controlled Substance Prescribing course for DEA registration.
• Psych ARNPs will not be allowed to apply for DEA registration before the Jan. 1, 2017 date.

Zika Virus-Important Message from Department of Health: Click here