Updates provided by Legislative Chair, Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco, DNP, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, FAANP
The Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act (NPMA) is scheduled to sunset in June 2021. Last year The Nurse Practitioner Association (NPA) proactively began advancing legislation that would implement the New York Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) data analysis regarding NP practice. In the Report, the State Education Department (SED) concluded that there was no longer a need. During the pandemic, NPA’s members have played an even greater role in the overall healthcare team. Department of Health (DOH) called for: (i) the “elimination of the regulatory requirement for the 'Collaborative Relationships Attestation Form,' which has been perceived by NPs to serve as a barrier to practice;” and (ii) making the NPMA permanent.
The NPA is thrilled to report that we have sponsors in both the Senate and the Assembly. We commend Senator Gustavo Rivera, Chair of the Senate Health Committee, for introducing S.8936 and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, for introducing A.10990, which, consistent with the DOH recommendation, would make the NPMA permanent, as well as:
- Adopt the SED recommendation of eliminating the filing of practice protocols for NPs with less than 3600 hours of clinical experience;
- Allow NPs with less than 3600 hours of experience, who continue to maintain a written collaborative agreement, the opportunity to have that written collaborative agreement with a nurse practitioner who has completed more than 3600 clinical hours of experience; and
- Eliminate any form of a mandated collaborative relationship for nurse practitioners with greater than 3600 hours of experience, consistent with the Governor’s current executive order.
There is a lot of work ahead to turn this legislation into law. We look forward to all NPs' help in getting this legislation passed and enacted, as written.
As part of the State’s continued efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 23, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order (EO) 202.10, which has a particular focus on the health professions in New York State. Among other things, the EO ensures that Nurse Practitioners will be able to provide aid during the COVID-19 response and temporarily removes certain administrative barriers to practice. The governor has been extending this EO monthly.
Opposed Legislation:
- 1043 (Woerner): Automatically extends all students' compliance with health examination and immunization requirements in response to COVID-19.
This bill would allow students to attend school without up to date immunization requirements.
This bill died in committee.
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED!
Nurse Practitioners are always advocates - here are some things you can do to increase visibility:
- Make sure you always have business cards available - write the greaternynapnap.org website address on the back!
- Write a letter to your elected official - NAPNAP sends out legislative alerts when action is needed - it's easy to email your official & they CARE what you have to say.
- Attend local patient support/advocacy group meetings - Let their leaders know you're available to speak out, join their experts board, etc.
- VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! Endorse candidates whose messages mean something - send a check to support candidacy & sign the check with your title.
- Volunteer to speak at parenting classes, school programs, civic programs.
- Volunteer at the local office of an elected official - let them know you're available to consult on medical issues.
- Be a preceptor for nurse practitioner students.
- Keep up on practice issues & be prepared to speak out when an issue is unfair.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, or journal, or magazine regarding articles about nurse practitioners.
- If you're REALLY ambitious - run for office: local, state, national - check out the nursing caucus of the United State Senate headed by Representative Lois Capps RN (D-CA).
NURSING ADVOCACY GROUP
The Center for Nursing Advocacy (www.nursingadvocacy.org) is a media watchdog. Their mission is to alert health care professionals about representation of nursing worldwide in the public media.
CHILD HEALTH POLICY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE
NAPNAP has a Child Health Policy Learning Collaborative (CHPLC) which can be found under the Advocacy tab on the Member home page:
"The CHPLC is open to all NAPNAP members and meets at 8 p.m. ET via webinar on the first Wednesday of every month from September through May to discuss policy trends and advocacy solutions on national, state and local levels. We invite guest speakers to address timely policy issues affecting our members. In addition, there is an online community to share information on these topics. To be invited to the monthly call, please email healthpolicy@napnap.org."