[NRSKarenRN]

From PA NURSES 3/22/06 newsletter:

Who is Responsible for Our Scope of Practice?


At the 2005 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association
there was a resolution made that the AMA along with the Scope of Practice Partnership (comprised of the Massachusetts , Colorado , Texas , California , New Mexico and Maine Medical Associations along with the American Society of Anesthesiology , American Society of Plastic Surgeons , American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons , American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Psychiatric Association) and interested Federation partners will study the qualifications , education , academic requirements , licensure , certification , independent governance , ethical standards , disciplinary processes , and peer review of the "limited licensure health care providers , and limited independent practitioners , as identified by the Scope of Partnership and report back at the 2006 Annual Meeting. The AMA have allocated $171,975 towards this effort. There is also indications that the specialty partners are allocating $25,000 annually towards this effort.

In Psychiatric News, March of 2006, Richard Daly states:
"The committee will use $25, 000 annual contributions from its initial members to fund research that helps refute the key arguments allied health professionals use to advance their measures in state legislatures. Initial research will accumulate national data on differences in training and education between physicians and other medical professionals and track the geographic distribution of such professions. Advocates of scope-of-practice expansion often mitigate differences between allied health professionals and physicians and claim such legislation is needed to improve health care access in areas underserved by physicians. The partnership also will fund campaigns to stop scope-of-practice legislation in states where such bills appear likely to advance." The group will undertake projects focusing on the identification of what constitutes adequate training and establish relationships with all of the state medical boards and associations, Scully said. That coordination will help clarify the message to state legislators that scope-of-practice concerns are not turf issues for one or another specialty but are concerns of the profession of medicine."

Below are links to:

• Actual resolution introduced by the Texas Delegation at the AMA meeting
• Background information put together by ANA.
• Federation of State Medical Boards Guidelines for Regulatory Boards and Legislators to use when considering requests for creation or expansion of scopes of practice.

More than ever , it is imperative that we strive for uniformity within our own profession especially in the area of the Advanced Practice Nurse because once again it another entity (in this case-medicine) is trying to control our practice.
Michele P. Campbell, Executive Administrator PA State Nurses Association

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Pertinent to this issue:

Special Request for PA Nurses Membership Feedback

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing has just published their draft vision statement on the Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of the future. PA State Nurses is asking members to read the vision statement and provide feedback.

The vision statement addresses the definition of APRN's , licensing of their defined APRN's including education program requirements (including a licensure exam and a residency component) , requirement for supervision and the APRN as it pertains to multi-state compacts.

Please click on this link to access the vision statement: http://www.ncsbn.org/pdfs/02_17_06_d...sion_Paper.pdf

Please click on this link to provide comments. http://www.panurses.org/06.03.01_opinion_poll.htm

We thank you in advance for your participation.
Michele P. Campbell, Executive Administrator PA State Nurses Association

[Geeg]

This seems to be aimed at nurse practitioners, who usually do the low reimbursemed, undesirable tasks that docs don't think are lucrative anyhow. I wish that nursing organizations had $$ to put into fighting the dilution of RN practice.

[Judee Smudee]

They are very good at protecting their turf aren't they.

[NOLA-ROB]

I must agree with the AMA delegates on the serious need for standardized entry into each aspect of Nursing Practice. I believe if the standard entry point for an RN was a minimum 4 year BSN, and no exceptions in any state this would start a much needed trend. Specifically, on the AMA standpoint of all the different levels of training we allow in advance practice nursing is absurd. The public has no idea about who can do what and how much training it takes to get an advance practice nursing degree. Regardless of the pay or title the Advance practice nurses should be required to have a standard 3-4yr clinical Doctorate level degree in every state. The increased uniformity would cause less confusion and little room for question of the educational/practicing competency of the advance practice nurse. As far as the MD's deciding whether we meet their standards, they need to back off.

[lindarn]

Originally Posted by NOLA-ROB

I must agree with the AMA delegates on the serious need for standardized entry into each aspect of Nursing Practice. I believe if the standard entry point for an RN was a minimum 4 year BSN, and no exceptions in any state this would start a much needed trend. Specifically, on the AMA standpoint of all the different levels of training we allow in advance practice nursing is absurd. The public has no idea about who can do what and how much training it takes to get an advance practice nursing degree. Regardless of the pay or title the Advance practice nurses should be required to have a standard 3-4yr clinical Doctorate level degree in every state. The increased uniformity would cause less confusion and little room for question of the educational/practicing competency of the advance practice nurse. As far as the MD's deciding whether we meet their standards, they need to back off.

And would make us more credible as a profession. Our differant levels of education make us ripe pickings for this type of treatment. But then again, there are so many nurses who don't value education, and fight any and every attempt to improve education levels for nursing. They fight any differentiation in pay, recognition, and even licensure. I agree. Nursing should have a BSN as entry into practice, graduate practices should have a Doctorate, including CRNAs. There is too much confusion regarding education of nurses, in EVERY level, and it is exploited in every aspect of our practice, recognition (or lack thereof), and compensation. See my other posts.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

[RoaminHankRN]

One area that we look non professional is continuing education requirements vary state to state to renew ones license. I never understood why more RN's don't push for this. Some are more up in arms about having a BSN vs ASN, they forget that there are RN's practicing today that are not competent in their field. Medicine changes day to day and patients need RN's who have a current working knowledge of their specialty. If the same applies to paramedics and physicians, why not RNs?

[Gabie Baby]

We've got them on the run, what?

[Q.]

Originally Posted by lindarn

And would make us more credible as a profession. Our differant levels of education make us ripe pickings for this type of treatment. But then again, there are so many nurses who don't value education, and fight any and every attempt to improve education levels for nursing. They fight any differentiation in pay, recognition, and even licensure. I agree. Nursing should have a BSN as entry into practice, graduate practices should have a Doctorate, including CRNAs. There is too much confusion regarding education of nurses, in EVERY level, and it is exploited in every aspect of our practice, recognition (or lack thereof), and compensation. See my other posts.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

Exactly.
We need to take ownership of our profession before someone else does. Looks like that day is getting closer and closer, while we still argue amongst ourselves over an ADN vs. BSN. It's sad, really.

[purplemania]

You need to be involved with your ANA chapter to counter this legislation. Nurses outnumber MDs, but alone we are small. Your voice and your money go further if we act together.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I do want to know some things, regarding nursing and professionalism.

From the vantage point of those residing in places or countries where BSN (or similar baccalaureate) is the only means of entry to professional nursing (or so it is called):

1. are you feeling you are treated fairly and well as true professionals with university educations/advanced degrees?

2. do you feel you have autonomous control over your nursing practices as a whole, not being dictated by others outside nursing, like physicians and non-nursing administrators/lawmakers?

....and....

3. do you feel you have a place at the corporate or policy-making tables when it comes to making decisions regarding nursing practice and its future?

If not, why not?

I really want to hear from YOU!