FNPN July-August 2012 Newsletter
Posted over 11 years ago by Regina Pommer
This announcement has 1 attachment:
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 NPs Presenting in London
- FNPN supports Kim Kendall!
- An Important message from Kim Kendall
- Why should Nurses vote?
- FNPN PAC Update
- AANP Annual Convention
- FNPN Spotlight
- Job Announcement
- Membership update
- Message from AANP State Rep
- Around the State and Around the Nation
- News You Can Use
Quote of the Month:
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." - Henry Ford
FNPN NPs presenting in London
FNPN Members Dr. Janet Dubois, DNP, ARNP, FAANP, Gail Sadler, MSN, ARNP, FAANP, Dr. Roger Green, DNP, ARNP, FAANP, and Dr. Jean Aertker, DNP, ARNP, FAANP have been invited to speak at the 7th International Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network Conference in London.
The RCN is hosting this international conference taking place on 20 – 22 August 2012 in Central London and welcome speakers and delegates representing over 25 countries.
The conference will bring together around 400 nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses, clinical nurse specialists, researchers, educators, policy makers, and managers from around the world to discuss, debate and analyze how advanced nursing, through its innovative practice development, can strive to meet the ever increasing demands placed on both local and global health care systems. Janet, Roger and Jean will present their study on NP practice and Gail and Jean will present on NP Entrepreneurship and business ownership. Gail is founder of the Association of NPs in Business.
FNPN Endorses Kim J. Kendall for State Rep D-17 - St. Johns County
Calling all ARNPs in St Johns county to vote in the August 14th Republican Primary for Kim Kendall.
This is a difficult race and she has two opponents. The incumbent is well funded "Doc" Renuart, DO. For years our attempts to move cost saving, vital health care bills in the legislature fell on deaf ears. Kim's grassroots campaign is vital to making the right change and we need all ARNPs, nurses, family, and friends to vote. Remember, early voting is great too, so you won't miss the voting polls on the 14th due to those unexpected late hours at your practice caring for patients.
Why Kim? Because she gets it! She has the vision and desire to move Florida forward and not be tied to the old political ways. She sees the value ARNPs can bring to our state. If only the legislature would act on the TWO state funded studies that support ARNP care for Florida. New Florida and national studies also show the real cost savings if NPs were not restricted by outdated laws and able to practice to their full scope as in 48 other states. Kim is fair, energetic and willing to look at both sides of the issues, but more importantly she is not tied to special interests. She's passionate and sharp, someone we need for our state. We need your help to see Kim as the next State Representative in the Florida House!
An Important Message from House Candidate Kim Kendall, D-17
Calling out All Nurses, Friends and Supporters of Nursing:
We need your help! If you are Republican and can vote in District 17 closed Republican party primary, please vote for Kim on August 14. Early voting starts this week too. If you have friends and family in this area, do ask them to help too!
A Message from Kim:
Florida Nurse Practitioner Network and the Florida Nurses Associationhave both given me their support and endorsements. My teammates and I are very humbled by that - and we do not take it for granted!
We are working on the issue of Florida Nurse Practitioners not being able to work to their full extent of their training - like they are allowed in 48 other states! - These things include; being able to prescribe controlled substances like cough medicine with codeine, write an order for an x-ray, write an order for physical therapy, write a death certificate, prescribe diarrhea medication.
For 18 years the Nurse Practitioners have been battling to have their voices heard. Backed by recommendations of other organizations, such as; the Institute of Medicine, the Agency for Health Care Administration task force, and the Florida Senate's Interim report - have all concluded that Florida's NP's should be able to work to their full extent of training.
The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) and Florida Tax Watch Government Cost Savings Task Force - both agree that the saving would be $339 million annually - across Florida's entire health care system.
I am running against "Doc" Renuart (and Mike Davis) - all three of us are Republicans. There is no Democrat in the race - so the Primary (Aug. 14) decides the winner. And I am running in State House District 17 - which is entirely in St. Johns County (80% of it.)
The FNPN and the FNA decided to endorse me - because my teammates and I are willing to stand up for this cause - even with the warfare being fired our way - and because "Doc" Renuart has not supported this legislation. And over the last four years - this bill has died in Doc's Health Committee. (Even Doc's own NP - Laura Bailey - has said how he has always been against NP's being able to work to their full extent of their training.
We are looking very good - and have the numbers to win! We have a 52-man volunteer team - and 8,000 votes will win the race. Doc lost 122,000 of his constituents - so this is a "new" district for him. And 44% of the vote is in NW St. Johns County where we live - but we DON'T underestimate our opponents. Especially - with over $80,000 donated to his campaign from physicians and FMA groups just recently.
This Saturday is early voting (Aug. 4 - Aug 11) and then the election Aug. 14. We could really use your help! If we are to get “Doc” Renuart out of office and get me in place where I can get this bill heard - we need your help in these areas....
- waving a sign on an election day near a voting station
- putting a sign in your yard
- phone calling
- emailing and face booking your friends about this issue and getting out the vote
Anyone (whether a nurse or not) who would like to be added to our volunteer list for email updates - or would like to help in one of the ways mentioned - please email me at kimjkendall@gmail.com
Here are three videos you can view to see the work we've already been doing - and the reason why some of the physician groups and lobbyists are coming after us - not wanting this message to be heard.
- First Coast News Nurse Practitioner Press Conference clip
- Debate forum with Doc, Mike, & Kim – showing answer to the Nurse Practitioner question – VERY telling
- More complete overview of NP Press conference – 6 minute video – shows snips from all main speakers
- Florida Nurse Practitioner Network Press Conference - YouTube
- Also, please visit our website at www.ElectKendall.com
Thank you in advance for your faith in my teammates and in me - and for your vote!
Kim
Kim J. Kendall for Florida House
www.ElectKendall.com
M 904.813.8799
kimjkendall@gmail.com
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Kim J. Kendall, Republican, for State
Representative
Why Should Nurses Vote
- You became a nurse to make a difference in the lives of your patients. Now, you can make a difference politically as well.
- Policymakers at the state and federal levels are making important policy decisions about health care, and those decisions affect your ability to practice as a nurse and to provide health care services to your patients.
- Policymakers also make important decisions about the laws, rules and regulations that govern hospitals, nursing homes and other environments where nurses are employed.
- Regardless of whether you support the Affordable Care Act, the health care environment is changing. We must ensure that nurses must play a prominent role in the delivery of care.
- Florida lawmakers are revising many state laws dealing with state employees.
- Budget cuts on the state and federal levels affect programs and services to the elderly, children and low-income. We have an opportunity to become advocates for them by voting for candidates who care for those populations.
- Candidates for public office need to be educated about nurses’ issues. There are many new candidates seeking office due to eight-year term limits and redrawing of political district lines.
The sheer number of registered nurses in Florida gives us a strong voice, and politicians will be forced to take notice of nurses and issues important to us.
The deadline to register for the November 6 primary election is October 9.
FNPN PAC Update
Laureen M. Fleck, PhD,FNP-BC,CDE, 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
Annual AANP Convention
The 27th National AANP Conference held in June at the Orlando Convention Center was another great gathering. FNPN hosted a booth in the exhibit hall to welcome all Florida members, prospective members and students. It was great to see everyone there. We had tremendous support from NPs across the nation who signed our 3x5 foot Controlled Substance map that we will be delivering to the Governor and Legislators. We had one map for those who have this prescriptive authority and another map for all Florida NPs to sign sending the message to Tallahassee so they can see our Declaration and "John Hancock’s".
Dr. Ford stopped by our FNPN booth at the AANP 27th annual conference and signed her "John Hancock" big enough for all to see!
We are very proud of the work AANP does for all NPs as we all support the new initiative of "Joining Forces" to honor our military, veterans and families. We will share more about this with you in our upcoming newsletter and how we can support this mission in FL If you have ideas or military groups that need support, please send us a note! Remember if you are an FNPN member, there is a $10.00 discount off AANP annual membership. Join both and be connected!
One of the Three 3x5 foot Controlled Substance maps that we will be delivering to the Governor and Legislators.
FNPN Spotlight
Congratulations to FNPN members Arlene Wright and Frances Sahebzamani. Arlene Write received the AANP Advocacy Award 2012. Frances Sahebzamani received the AANP Excellence Award 2012 for Florida. They were presented with their awards at the 27th AANP Annual Conference in October by outgoing AANP state representative and FNPN President Doreen Cassarino.
Arlene has practiced in the specialty of Gastroenterology where she initiated a hepatitis C clinic and also became the first “non –physician” to become a member of the Florida Gastroenterology Society. Ms. Wright has been adjunct faculty at both NOVA Southeastern and Edison State College. She has been a BLS instructor for more than 25 years. She has published in Nursing ’98 and in Advance for Nurse Practitioners in 2005;
Frances is currently an Assistant Professor and Interim Director of Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program at University of South Florida (USF), and instrumental in developing the DNP Signature Residence program. She joined USF College of Medicine in 1995 as Adult/Gero Nurse Practitioner and held several positions including Co-Director of USF Family Medicine Prediabetes Treatment Center.
We would also like to Congratulate Frances as one of the recipients of Nature Made Nutrition Awards totaling $16,000. The AANP Foundation announced the winners at their annual Honors Dinner, which was held during the 27th AANP National Conference in Orlando, FL. The award recognizes extraordinary work in one of the following areas: prescription drugs and nutrition depletion, obesity and malnutrition, and frequency of discussions with patients about the use of supplements.
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
Armando Riera-Membership Chair
Dear Members,
In order for us to have our voices heard in Tallahassee, we will need to increase our membership, at the same time working hard to retain current members. One of our goals this year will be to actively work on recruiting new members to FNPN to make our organization stronger.
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.
FNPN now has several options for membership:
- $70.00 - New Member /Renewing
- $120.00 - 2 Year Membership Special (Through December 2013)
- $45.00 - Student / Retired Member
- $80.00 - 2 year Membership Student/Retired (Through December 2013)
- $120.00 - NP Group Member
- $120.00 - Organization Member
- Student Group Membership "First Year Free!"
To Pay by Check - Click here
To Pay by Credit Card - Click here
As the Chair of the Membership Committee I am always open to suggestions and new ideas. If you have any questions, please contact me. This year, when joining/renewing, we also ask you to consider ‘bringing a friend’ to the registration table and helping build our organizations to where they should be. With the numbers of Advanced Practice Nurses nearing 15,000 in Florida, we should have a strength that can overcome any push from our medical community. We hope you will let us nurture that side of you if you need it and engage those around you to do the same. Please be sure to contact us should you have questions about legislation, membership, education and more. Our Executive Assistant, Regina, is always available either by phone, computer and even skype!
Thank you in advance for all your support.
Respectfully,
Armando Riera, MSN, ARNP-BC
FNPN, Membership Committee Chair
ARiera@jhsmiami.org
From your AANP Representative
Gail Sadler
Become and advocate-Join with AANP and raise your voice. NPs advocate for their patients every day. From issues with insurance companies and pharmacies to the health care delivery system, we address issues at the next level by sharing them with policy makers.
Please click here for more information
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Foundation (AANP Foundation) Scholarship and Grant Program is pleased to announce its 2012 offerings, available exclusively to AANP Members. Please visit www.aanp-foundation.org for complete availability information, eligibility requirements, and application materials. The deadline to submit an application is September 26, 2012.
Please click here for the full announcement with available opportunities.
Education Updates
The following important educational opportunities have been posted for August and September and October; please check for important educational opportunities posted on our website at www.fnpn.org
Sep 28
6th Annual Southern Gulf Coast Nurse Practitioner Educational Conference
Friday, September 28 2012 at 6:00pm ET in Bonita Springs, FL
Sep 29
Annual Continuing Education, Business Meeting and Gala Dinner
Saturday, September 29 2012 at 7:00am ET in Gainesville, FL
Oct 03
NAMS 23rd Annual Meeting
Wednesday, October 03 2012 at 7:30am ET in Kissimmee, FL
Oct 19
NPCPBC & FNPN 9th Annual Clinical Conference
Friday, October 19 2012 at 7:30am ET in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Around the State and Around the Nation
We Care We Vote is a non-partisan effort coordinated by the Florida Nurses Association to harness the political power of Florida’s 250,000 nurses by engaging them in the electoral process.
Our mission is to encourage Florida’s nurses to register to vote and mobilize them to participate in the 2012 elections.
By showing that nurses care and vote, politicians will be more likely to pay closer attention to the issues that affect nurses, their patients, and their profession.
A Sure Way of Saving Health Care $$$ in Florida
Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, CLS FNPN Legislative Vice President
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) have been providing health care to patients since the 1960s. Florida ARNPs, usually abbreviated nurse practitioner (NP), are licensed and nationally certified health care providers who practice in ambulatory, acute, and long term care as primary and/or specialty care providers. In addition to diagnosing and managing acute episodic and chronic illnesses, nurse practitioners emphasize health promotion and disease prevention.
Even with our wide scope of practice capability and many published reports on our potential cost savings to Florida, nurse practitioners have met many legislative barriers to practice. For over three decades NPs have been working to maximize health care access to Floridians with stagnant progression due to physician and legislative opposition.
Nurse practitioner scope of practice varies state to state. Florida, when compared to other states, is severely limited in areas that directly impact patient care. Florida and Alabama are the only two states in the nation that restrict prescribing authority for nurse practitioners.
Several studies have demonstrated that NPs, when compared to physicians, provide equivalent or superior care to patients. In addition, these documents show that NPs could save the state of Florida millions of dollars if allowed to practice to their full scope of education and certification.
In November 2008, a white paper was published by the Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses. It outlined an action plan for the state of Florida to address improving access to health care and containing cost by allowing NPs to practice as their education prepared them. Also in 2008, the Florida Senate published the “Interim Report” 2009-117. This report recommended, as 48 other states have, that the Legislature extend authority to NPs to prescribe controlled substances under protocols and within the scope of practice for their specialty.
In 2010, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) examined the implications of expanding scope of practice for NPs. OPPAGA’s estimates of potential cost savings from expanding NPs scope of practice in primary care range from $7 million to $44 million annually for Medicaid; $744,000 to $2.2 million for state employee health insurance and $339 million across Florida’s entire health care system. Reports of the Florida Tax Watch Government Cost Savings Task Force for fiscal year 2011 -2012 and 2012-2013 published the same $339 million annual savings and recommended the legislature grant NPs full scope of practice to utilize these cost savings.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an organization comprised of experts to discuss, debate, and examine possible solutions for the multitude of complex health concerns that face the United States and the world. In 2011, the IOM published a report evaluating what roles nurses can assume to address the increasing demand for safe, high quality, and effective health care services. The two year initiative concluded that “nursing brings to the future a steadfast commitment to patient care, improved safety and quality, and better outcomes.” Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training, and nurses should be full partners with physicians and other health care professionals, in redesigning health care in the United States.
The White Paper, published by Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses, summarizes the facts facing Florida’s health policy makers and residents and includes the following statistics:
- Florida ranks 49th in the nation for practice environment and consumer health care choice.
- All counties in Florida have medically underserved areas.
- Florida exceeds the national average for avoidable hospitalizations for diabetes, asthma, pediatric gastroenteritis, and congestive heart failure.
- Florida has relatively high numbers of low income residents and high numbers of uninsured and underinsured families.
- There are decreasing numbers of family and general medical practitioners, decreasing reimbursement for providers, and cost-prohibitive malpractice insurance.
- There are insufficient numbers of practitioners willing to serve in rural and underserved areas and this shortage results in poor health outcomes.
- Six counties in Florida have extreme levels of poverty and very limited access to health care. These counties are Escambia, Glades, Marion, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Suwannee.
- Almost half (46%) of low-income women are uninsured, which is significantly more than the national average.
- One in four (24%) of all women are uninsured.
- Many Floridians are hospitalized as a consequence of inadequate preventive care. The sequelae of this void in health care include increased costs to state funded and private insurance programs.
- The lack of access to preventive care results in increased costs to all Floridians.
Why is the state of Florida not utilizing its available resources to improve access to care and to provide better overall healthcare to its residents? Why is the State of Florida not utilizing Nurse Practitioners to their full scope of practice which could save the state $339 million dollars annually?
I’M NOT SURE EITHER, ASK YOUR STATE LEGISLATOR.
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.
Removing APRN Barriers to Practice & Care May Reduce Health Care Costs
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published “A systemic approach to containing health care spending,” which calls for removing restrictive state scope of practice laws, echoing Recommendation #1 of the Future of Nursing report. Ezekiel Emanuel and his co-authors assert “Making greater use of [advanced practice registered nurses] would expand the workforce supply, which would increase competition and thereby lower prices.”
Read the article here
"When It’s the Nurse Who Needs Looking After"
An interesting article in the New York Times by Pauline Chen, MD about the health of caring professionals. Nursing ranks among the worst occupations in terms of work-related injuries, and nearly half of all nurses struggle with lower back pain in a given year. Now research shows that when nurses suffer, so do their patients. READ THE FULL ARTICLE
New Study Favors NPs: “Will the NP Workforce Grow in Future"?
Thanks to our member Lolita Melhado for sharing. Dr. Auerbach, a researcher with the RAND CORP has published new data regarding nurse practitioners. The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis. Read the study-click here
Economist Ray Perryman says "Bring on the Super Nurses"
The rising cost of health care is a concern for individuals, families, businesses, government entities and society as a whole. One possible solution: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).
To read more on this article-click here
Survey called “Advanced Practice Nursing Scope of Practice as Understood and Misunderstood by Florida Policymakers and Influencers.”
Hello, my name is Darlene Fortune and I am a doctoral candidate in the DNP program at the University of Alabama. I am conducting a study called “Advanced Practice Nursing Scope of Practice as Understood and Misunderstood by Florida Policymakers and Influencers.” The study hopes to determine how Florida legislators and those that influence Florida legislators understand the scope of practice of Advanced Nursing Practice in the state.
Taking part in this study involves completing a web survey that will take about 5 minutes. The survey contains questions regarding the state laws that regulate Advanced Practice Nurses in the state of Florida. Your participation in the survey is entirely voluntary Click Here. Thank you for your time.
Survey targeted to Nurse Practitioners who are currently using Electronic Medical Records
Numerous studies have addressed the satisfaction levels of physicians, nurses and other providers, as well as ancillary staff. To date, no one has asked Nurse Practitioners about our satisfaction levels with the EMR systems that we work with every day. As a small incentive, I have three (3) Starbucks gift cards, and all respondents are invited to enter a drawing for one of these cards. There is an item at the end of the survey for you to enter your email. The winners will be selected by random drawing, and all will be notified by email.
Click Here for survey
Thanks so much for your participation.
Please feel free to share this with any Nurse Practitioner who may be interested in sharing her/his opinion.
Candace Malson, MS, APRN-BC c.malson@yahoo.com | cmalson@westernu.edu