New nursing laws shows how advocacy pays off

The bill, sponsored by Michigan Republican Mary Whiteford, BSN, RN, received what Whiteford said was “overwhelming” support, passing by an 82-25 vote within the Michigan House in March and within the Senate in June. The bill was approved by Michigan’s governor in July. This is just one in every of several pieces of nursing laws – on the state and national levels – that would open doors of opportunity for nurses.

A collaborative effort in Michigan

Whiteford, who said she retained her nursing license while serving within the Michigan House, said that without changes within the bill she sponsored, nurse anesthetists would should be supervised “by any physician at all.” This may include podiatrists, surgeons or dentists. She said the changes would “probably have the greatest impact in areas where anesthesiologists cannot be on call 24 hours a day, and also improve access and flexibility.” The bill was supported by the Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists, but opposed by the Michigan Medical Society. The organization’s president, S. Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., wrote: op-ed within the Detroit News. He noted that the bill would “eliminate physician involvement in anesthesia care” and went further, calling it a “dangerous approach.”

Nursing Licensure Compact

More than a dozen states have energetic nursing laws that could lead on you to hitch Compact Nursing License. It allows nurses to have a multi-state license with the flexibility to practice in all compact states. According to the Nurse Licensure Compact Facebook page, the compact currently covers 38 jurisdictions, Ohio and the Pennsylvania legislature was the last to adopt the agreement. Both agreements in each state were signed by the governors of every state on July 1, 2021.

Prevention and Public Health Fund

Organizations supporting this initiative include the National Association of Pediatric Nurses U.S. Senate Bill 571, which might “fully finance the Prevention and Public Health Fund.” According to Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN, president of NAPNAP, “it would also reaffirm the importance of preventive care in the U.S. health care system.” Peck noted that the fund was established under the Affordable Care Act but “has never been fully funded at the authorized level.” Doing so “would enable nurses and pediatric APRNs to improve preventive care by increasing resources for community health programs and practices.” Peck said nurses and pediatric APRNs face “dramatically increased challenges” in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. Resources from the fund “would help communities and practices increase vaccination rates and ensure children return to school safely,” she continued. The bill was submitted in March and referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Preventing violence within the workplace

In February, it was reintroduced by Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney legislation which goals to scale back workplace violence faced by healthcare staff, including nurses. IN Press ReleaseCourtney said it was “time for workplaces to take the steps we know are effective to avoid” such incidents. The laws seeks to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue standards requiring health and human services employers to put in writing and implement a workplace violence prevention plan. The bill, supported by the American Nurses Association, the Emergency Nurses Association and the National Nurses Association, amongst others, passed the House in April. The Senate then referred the bill to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

How to get entangled

Nurses can obtain details about nursing and health care laws that affects their occupation through national and state nurse associations or their specialized organizations. For example American Nurses Association provides information in regards to the policies and regulations it supports and why. The Emergency Nurses Association it also makes its public policy agenda available on its website. If you’re excited by specific regulations, you may contact individuals who can show you how to approve or reject them. This might be a governor, a United States representative or senator, a state representative or senator.

Take courses related to public health and workplace violence:

Violence in healthcare settings reflects chaos within the broader work environment. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines workplace violence as “acts of violence (including physical assaults and threats of assault) directed against persons at work or in the line of duty.” Nurses increase their awareness and expertise in coping with violence in skilled settings by learning to discover risk aspects and warning signs and using interventions that may protect their patients and themselves from harm.

Population health is a broad view that appears beyond a gaggle of patients or clients in a practice and considers a gaggle of individuals in the same geographic area or individuals with the same disease or health need. This module discusses what population health is, who reaches population health interventions, and what role nurses play in population health.

Throughout history, many public health programs have been initiated within the United States. However, within the twenty first century, the dominance of issues related to quality, range and affordability has emerged more strongly. Health policy is becoming an increasingly necessary priority on the state and national level because of unsustainable health care costs. This course will help nurses understand health care reform and be told participants in its implementation.