CFANPC Participating in Virtual Lobby

Hello All CFANPC Members!

As you all know...many, many bills have been filed that affect NPs this year. Hopefully you accepted the charge at our last meeting to identify the Florida Representative and Florida Senator that represent YOU in Tally! (If you haven't figured that out yet...just hit the links!).

For the next 4 weeks members of CFAPNC will be participating in a "Virtual Lobby" effort with other Nurse Practitioners across our State. Each week your leadership will provide you a "script" to guide your telephone and/or emailed messages to your lawmakers. We encourage you to reach out each Wednesday of the week. (Our philosophy is Just do it!...if you can't participate on Wednesday, don't hesitate to send any other day of the week!

Let's work together in 2015 and modernize our role in Florida!

In your service as President,

Angela Ritten, DNP

Week 1 telephone message:

Hi, My name is (your name). I would like to ask senator/representative (whoever you are writing or calling) to support the current bills regarding advanced registered nurse practitioners.
• HB 547 allowing full practice authority for ARNP
• SB 614 allowing DEA licensure for ARNPs
• HB 281/SB 532 allowing ARNPs to prescribe DEA medications in facilities
• HB 545 Telehealth/SB 478 Telemedicine bill

Week 1 email message:

Dear (Representative or Senator)

My Name is (your name). I wanted to share some important information about Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (ARNPs). Please see below. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about ARNPs in Florida.

Sincerely,
(Your Name/Address)

ARNPs: The Art of Caring, the Science of Curing.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses provide high quality cost effective healthcare. They are registered Nurses with advanced educating and clinical training and national certification. In Florida they are licensed under the term ARNP.

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

• Expert clinicians with Master's and Doctoral degrees who provide primary, acute and specialty health care. They practice independently in almost half of our nation.
• Provide a full range of services, such as ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; and managing overall patient care.
• 13,000 NPs practice in Florida today, providing solutions to the health care provider shortage crisis.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)

• Highly educated, advanced practice registered nurses who deliver anesthesia to patients in exactly the same ways, for the same types of procedures and just as safely as physician anesthesiologists. CRNAs are well prepared to respond appropriately in emergency situations.
• Deliver essential healthcare in thousands of communities and are able to prevent gaps in access to anesthesia services, especially in rural, inner-city and other medically underserved areas of the country.
• In Florida there are 3000 CRNAs filling the gap in anesthesia care.

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)

• Provide primary healthcare to all women including those of childbearing age, during pregnancy through birth and thereafter and provide gynecological and menopausal care.
• Most Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are prepared at the master's level or above in both nursing and midwifery.
• In Florida there are 700 CNMs providing care to pregnant women and newborns.

The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) and numerous studies confirm that ALL Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who practice without physician supervision deliver safe high quality patient care resulting in equivalent patient outcomes to physicians. The IOM recommends that in order to increase access to health care, ARNPs practice without the need for supervisory or collaborative physician relationships.

Please support bills that allow ARNPs to practice to the fullest extent of their education and training.