June 2010 FNPN News Bullets

Posted almost 14 years ago by Regina Pommer

Good Morning!

As we begin June 2010, 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:

• Message from the FNPN Board of Directors

• Education Updates and upcoming CE events

• Legislative Update!

• Membership Update

• Job Announcement

• From Your AANP Representative

• FNPN PAC Update

• Around the State and Around the Nation

• News You Can Use

• Kudos Corner

Quote of the Month:

"There are those who make it happen - Those who watch it happen - And those who wonder what happened."

Message from the FNPN Board of Directors

Submitted by Janet DuBois, DNP, CNE, ARNP, FNP-BC, FAANP

2nd Vice President

FNPN Annual Conference: Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneurship: Transforming the Future of Florida’s Healthcare.

Join us for our 7th Annual Conference at the Tampa Airport Marriott Hotel, July 16th and 17th. The conference begins with registration at 12:00 pm on Friday with our first session starting at 1:00 pm (lunch is provided). This promises to be a very different and interesting session, focusing on entrepreneurship and practice building. We have gathered together NPs who have started their own successful business to discuss their strategies as well as all aspects of building a successful practice. The rest of the afternoon sessions follow the entrepreneurship theme and continue to focus on practice building strategies, including marketing and billing and coding. These afternoon sessions are a must for anyone who is considering becoming a truly “independent” practitioner in their own business or as a partner with another provider! The afternoon sessions are followed by a meet and great buffet and presentation by Dr. Danni Wells from Sanofi Aventis. Dr. Wells has presented for FNPN in the past and has always been well received. She will focus on new treatment modalities for A Fib.

Our Saturday sessions begin early with registration between 7:00 and 8:00 am and our breakfast presentation beginning at 8:00 am with a presentation on Stroke sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Mona Counts, a true nurse practitioner pioneer, former president of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and an entrepreneur with her own practice in rural Appalachia. Saturday’s sessions include a comprehensive update on state and federal legislative issues and various clinic presentations including COPD, Lipid management (from an NP who has her own Lipid Clinic), a presentation on using Soy in practice, and more.

Of course, as always, we’ll have a great exhibit all with a wide variety of vendors including pharmaceutical companies, public health agencies, radiology and more!

We hope you join us for the exciting conference! For more information, go to the website and click on the 7th Annual Conference link.

*SAVE THE DATE****

July 16th and 17th , 2010 FNPN 7th Annual Conference

Education Updates:

The following important educational opportunities have been posted for June and July; be sure to check back on our website at www.fnpn.org for additional updates and additions!

5th Annual Sunshine Conference for Advanced Practice Nurses

Friday, June 04 2010 at 6:00pm ET Daytona Beach - Florida 8.0 CE credits

Pain Medicine and Controlled Substances: Risk Management ...

Saturday, June 05 2010 at 7:00am ET Ft Lauderdale - Florida 8.0 CE credits

2nd Annual Florida Tobacco Summit 2010

Thursday, June 10 2010 at 8:00am ET Orlando - Florida 6.0 CE credits

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses 6th Annual M...

Wednesday, June 23 2010 at 7:00am ET Lake Buena Vista - Florida 24.5 CE credits

AANP 25th National Conference

Wednesday, June 23 2010 at 8:00am Phoenix - Arizona 30.0 CE credits

7th Annual FNPN Conference

Friday, July 16 2010 at 12:00pm ET Tampa - Florida 9.0 CE credits

Legislative Updates:

Submitted by Frances M. Rankin (Sahebzamani), Ph.D., ARNP, FAANP

Colleagues,

As we move forward from this past disappointing legislative session, we have new opportunities to begin implementing strategies to effect change in the coming year. One of our top priorities will be to indentify and target potential legislators who will support our issues and concerns. Now that legislators have returned home to their base communities, this is the time for you, our members, to meet with and exert influence with your local legislators. We were significantly outmaneuvered this past year by the FMA in both dollars and lobbying efforts.

Lessons learned from the Rally in Tally include:

Legislators reported that they were not aware of us, our issues and our concerns
Money talks! Donations to campaign funds are an ongoing need and recipients of these donations remember who donates
Constituents have more influence than non-constituents. Legislators are more likely to meet with and listen to constituents over stakeholders who are not constituents
We are all capable of speaking with legislators and promoting our issues and concerns. Even the most politically novice among us successfully met with and spoke to a wide variety of legislators and learned that this is not “rocket science”…we accomplish far more difficult, complex and courageous things every day in the practice setting.
The energy, enthusiasm, and passion generated from the few weeks leading up to and through the Rally in Tally has to extend into this coming year. Apathy, complacency and the general attitude that others are more suited to political activity will defeat our progress.

Currently there are an estimated 13,000 nurse practitioners in Florida. We must promote ourselves as involved and engaged constituents active in the legislative process. To this end, our strategies must include the following:

Identify the political activities in your community and become involved. Meet with legislators running for office or with those hoping to retain office. Let them know that you are interested and concerned about the health of your community. Tell them what it is you do every day in the clinical settings. Let them know of the problems your patients are having related to health care. Provide them with concrete stories and examples they can bring back to the next legislative session.
Donate money to the political action fund. Your ability to make money through practice depends to a large extent upon the laws mandated. We are competing against a well funded lobby- the Florida Medical Association. The money you donate will be used to make campaign donations to legislators who support our professional issues, to fund aggressive lobbyists to represent our interests, and to promote public relations campaigns and professional political activities. Let us know which legislators in your community support our issues. We will make a lasting impression through campaign donations to demonstrate our support of their efforts.
Meet with, email, or call your local legislators. If you are not comfortable speaking to the political concerns of all NPs in Florida, speak to the concerns you have for your patients or let them know that YOU know them, that you follow their decisions and that you are an active voter in your community. This will make a difference. You are a constituent and because of this, you have power!
Becoming politically active is less about having a comprehensive understanding of the issues and more about a commitment of your time and your support. Vote, Donate, take the time to write to at least one legislator this year.

An important issue for Florida this coming year involves Medicaid reform. Medicaid reform is anticipated to be a high priority of legislators leading into and during the 2011 legislative session. During the 2010 session, Rep. Dean Cannon and Rep. Denise Grimsley failed to pass a bill that would have transitioned Medicaid enrollees into managed care plans (HMOs). The Florida Medical Association and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians opposes this bill in favor of the Medical Home Model. Florida is currently one of the participating states in a 5 year Medicaid demonstration program to pilot the Medical Home Model as an alternative. The Medical Home Model Pilot Program allows qualified participants to select one of 5 health plan options including the choice of HMOs or physician or hospital owned service networks. Outcomes from the demonstration program will likely play a significant role in Medicaid reform. Remember: Passive indifference is as bad as active malice!!

Attached you will find a Legislative update and summary of 2010 Legislative session Click Here for (PDF)

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! (back)

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

Armando Riera-Membership Chair

Renewal Reminder

Membership in FNPN runs on an annual basis Jan-Dec.

Please renew your membership today.

Membership in FNPN can be as a group or individual member.

Individual members belong and receive many benefits as part of their membership-frequent communication during the legislative session (or special sessions), a paid lobbyist based in Tallahassee, access to posted job opportunities, access to posted upcoming conferences and many more benefits. If you belong to your local NP group you are not an FNPN member until you join FNPN individually, group and individual membership are two separate levels of membership. I encourage you to visit our newly redesigned web page today www.fnpn.org and while you're there you can renew online.

Group Presidents please renew today and continue to be an integral part of our growing organization. We value our group members as this creates a vital network of NP groups throughout the state. These groups help disseminate information about trends, issues and changes impacting NP's at the state and national level. As a group member we will also assist with conference planning and obtaining approval for CEU's if offered. We will also assist with promoting your conferences and activities and can provide assistance or link you with support in web design.

Just a reminder, students have special rate dues, and we encourage you and your peers to join!

From your AANP Representative

Doreen Cassarino MSN, ARNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM

The 2010 AANP opening general session on June 23 takes a look at the past, present and future of NPs and AANP. Dr. Loretta Ford will open the Annual Membership Meeting that morning with her unique look at how it all began as only she can tell it. Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy the co-founder of the NP role as she shares her thoughts on the past and vision for the future. Dr. Jeffrey Bauer, internationally recognized medical economist and health futurist, will provide insight into how evidence supports using NPs as one of the most cost-effective and feasible reforms to solve America's serious problems on cost, quality and access in health care. His research demonstrates how quality of care will be enhanced if health care reforms promote the use of NPs. Make plans now to attend this informative and entertaining session and kick off the 25th anniversary conference in grand style. Register now at www.aanp.org.

On another note, the attached has a summary of the MQA 2010 annual association meeting I attended. Click Here for (PDF)

FNPN PAC Update

Marifrances Gullo - PAC Chair

Why Am I Donating To A Political Action Committee and What Is It Anyway?

In the United States, a Political Action Committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a matter of state and federal law. Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, an organization becomes a "political committee" by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1,000 for the purpose of influencing a federal election.

When an interest group, union, or corporation wants to contribute to federal candidates or parties, it must do so through a PAC. These PACs receive and raise money from a "restricted class," generally consisting of managers and shareholders in the case of a corporation, and members in the case of a union or other interest group. The PAC may then make donations to political campaigns. PACs and individuals are the only entities allowed to contribute funds to candidates for federal office. Contributions from corporate or labor union treasuries are illegal, though they may sponsor a PAC and provide financial support for its administration and fundraising. Overall, PACs account for less than thirty percent of total contributions in U.S. Congressional races, and considerably less in presidential races.

Contributions by individuals to federal PACs are limited to $5,000 per year. Corporations and unions may not contribute directly to federal PACs, though they may pay for the administrative costs of a PAC affiliated with the specific corporation or union. Corporate-affiliated PACs may only solicit contributions from executives, shareholders, and their families, while union-affiliated PACs may only solicit contributions from members. "Independent" PACs not affiliated with a corporation, union, or trade or membership association may solicit contributions from the general public but must pay their operating costs from these regulated contributions.

Federal multi-candidate PACs are limited in the amount of money they can contribute to candidate campaigns or other organizations:

• at most $5,000 per candidate per election. Elections such as primaries, general elections and special elections are counted separately.

• at most $15,000 per political party per year.

• at most $5,000 per PAC per year.

Under federal law, PACs are not limited in their ability to spend money independently of a candidate campaign. This may include expenditures on activities in support of (or against) a candidate, as long as they are not coordinated with the candidate.

If two or more PACs share the same sponsoring organization, they are considered to be "affiliated" and their total donations are counted under aggregate limits, i.e. the total donations from all may not exceed $5,000 for a specific candidate in a given election.

PACs must report all of the financial activities, including direct donations and other expenses, to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which makes the reports available to the public. Stay tuned, more to come.......

Around the State and Around the Nation

The nurse in your health care future

By Thomas Aschenbrener

While the landmark passage of a national health care bill closes a longstanding barrier to societal inequities, now comes the hard part. As we face the prospect of providing 30 million more Americans (60,000 Oregonians) with health services and consider the 300,000 doctors retiring in the next decade, our challenge is immense.

But we're not necessarily facing a physician shortage. We need to ask what's required to meet the future needs of our population and look at what's already working. One area of great success: nurse-run clinics. Why can't this model become widespread?

In fact, by the year 2025, I imagine a health system where virtually all primary care in the United States is delivered by nurses and nurse practitioners. Let's imagine ourselves in that vision of health care in 2025.

Here in 2025, quality of care and patient satisfaction are higher than they were back in 2010. Back then we knew that quality and satisfaction levels of primary care were equal or better when comparing nurse practitioners with primary care physicians. In 2003, the journal Hospitals and Health Networks reported improved outcomes with nurse practitioner care compared with that of physicians. A 2002 British Medical Journal study showed that nurse practitioners offered more information and more complete documentation - - with no differences in health status. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association reported similar results in 2000.

Here in 2025, most chronic diseases like asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes are managed by nurses, who are reducing the burden on our emergency and specialty-care system. And just as they did back in 2010, public-sector nurses are providing valuable services to pregnant and lactating mothers, students in schools and folks living in senior centers.

So what about the physicians?

The physicians of 2025 are more satisfied than they've been in decades. Most are specialists, working at the top of their license. Primary care doctors serve as referral consultants in multidisciplinary settings. Physicians now perform fewer of the services that nurses provided in 2010 and focus more on managing complex health problems.

Nurses, physicians, dentists, mental health specialists, pharmacists and others are all working in a coordinated system of quality care. Fee-for-service payment is mostly history.

So how did we get here?

Beginning in 2010, we took action. We expanded access to nursing education to a highly qualified applicant pool. We increased the number of faculty to assure a steady stream of nurse graduates. And we introduced robust leadership programs to help nurses master the business of health.

Oregon had been a leader in nursing education, but in the years leading up to 2025, we were able to demonstrate a return on investment to the state by advancing and encouraging new models of nurse-led practice.

The result: Oregon became known as a leading force in shaping the health system of the future and served as a model for cost management, quality and patient satisfaction all over the world.

Pill Mills persist in legislative challenges to NPs

"The Oxycontin Express" is a documentary on Current TV. It highlights the problems with lack of regulation/monitoring of controlled substances in "pain" clinics in Florida.

News You Can Use

MCNP News - Legislation Regarding Ordering Home Health Services

Submitted by Maureen S. Kapatkin, ARNP-BC,

Nancy O'Rourke, MCNP President

I know everyone has been so busy with all the state issues, we sometimes put aside very important issues such as described in the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act, currently being heard in U.S. congress........and affects all of us, but particularly those of us who work with Medicare patients, and even though we are authorized providers under Medicare, and can have our own numbers, we are currently unable to legally order home health services for our Medicare patients. I surely think we ARNPs, APNs (and all RNs---who provide most of the home health care) here in Florida need to be supportive of such an important issue, at the National Level (and has some actual bipartisan support)........and maybe they will actually listen!!

Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) has introduced The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act (H.R. 4993) a companion to S. 2814 introduced in the Senate by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act recognizes and authorizes nurse practitioners as eligible health care professionals who can order home health services under Medicare, ensuring that Medicare patients requiring these services receive optimal continuity of care. Currently, under the Social Security Act, only physicians can order home health care services, despite the fact that physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives are authorized Medicare providers.

Please help recruit cosponsors for this important legislation. Please take a few minutes TODAY to reach out to your Representative and Senators and ask them to cosponsor these two bills. You can pick up the phone and call their Washington, DC offices, send e-mails through their respective websites, or fax a letter to their DC offices. To find the contact information for your legislators, go to: http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm

It is imperative to show support for this bill in order for it to move forward this year. WE are the backbone of home health care and need this legislation to pass this year!

Affordable Health Care act Click Here for (PDF)

Kudos Corner

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) has announced the Fellows of the AANP (FAANP) inductees for 2010. The new Fellows will be inducted during the AANP’s 25th national conference in Phoenix, AZ on June 23, 2010.

The FAANP program was established in 2000 to recognize nurse practitioner (NP) leaders who have made outstanding contributions to health care through NP clinical practice, research, education, or policy. Priority initiatives of FAANP are the development of leadership and mentorship programs for NPs and NP students. Fellows of the AANP are visionaries committed to the global advancement of nursing through the development of imaginative and creative future NP leaders.

Dr. M. Christopher Saslo DNS ARNP BC from Palm Beach County is one such individual. His leadership as president of the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network, a mentor to ARNP students, and clinician to his patients has been an incredible inspiration to many. In addition to actively participating in the development of the Florida Coalition for Advanced Nursing white paper, a video for their coalition effort and fighting for legislative changes to promote APN roles, Dr. has worked to ensure continuing education to APNs on topics including legislation, HIV, Hepatology and more.

Fellows of the AANP are visionaries committed to the global advancement of nursing through the development of imaginative and creative future NP leaders, and as such, hold an annual think tank to strategize about the future of NPs and health care outside the confines of traditional thinking.

A limited number of NPs are selected for this highly coveted distinction each year. The new FAANP members will continue the tradition of contributing to the mission of the AANP and promoting the role of the NP as a provider of quality, cost-effective healthcare.

The AANP was founded in 1985 and is the oldest, largest, and only full-service national professional organization for NPs of all specialties. With more than 27,500 individual members and 131 group members, AANP represents the interests of approximately 135,000 NPs around the country. AANP continually advocates for the active role of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective and personalized healthcare. For more information about AANP, visit www.aanp.org.