Read. Think. Act.

Catherine Read

  • Home
  • About
  • Creative Read
  • Blog
  • TV Shows
  • Books
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Making Change Radio
  • Archives

by Catherine Read

Center to Champion Nursing in America – Inside Scoop

(Feb. 6, 2017) Catherine Read interviews Winifred V. Quinn, PhD, Director of Advocacy & Consumer Affairs for the Center to Champion Nursing in America. The CCNA is a collaborative effort of the AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Quinn talks about the hurdles facing Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) in providing healthcare services in each of the 50 states. Requirements differ from state to state as far as physician oversight/collaboration with CNPs in the services they deliver to patients. States with rural populations have been the first to remove barriers to nurses providing services “to the full extent of their education and training.” More recently, the Veterans Administration has created a policy that allows nurses to provide services to the full extent of their education and training through VA facilities regardless of restrictions in place within individual states.

In the second segment, Catherine is joined by Andrea Brassard, PhD, RN, and Senior Strategic Policy Advisor to the Center to Champion Nursing in America. Dr. Brassard still engages in providing clinical nursing services on a limited basis in addition to assisting in CCNA’s policy creation. She brings a unique perspective to the benefits and challenges of allowing Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to provide a full spectrum of healthcare services for which they have been trained. She points out that Nursing is consistently ranked as the No. 1 “Most Trusted Profession” in the United States and speaks to the varied skills nurses bring to their profession.

David DeBiasi, Associate State Director of AARP Virginia, joins Catherine in the third segment to talk about how the Affordable Care Act influenced modifications to the physician oversight requirement of Certified Nurse Practitioners here in Virginia. Instead of moving forward, Virginia’s policy moved “sideways.” The tweak to the policy has not allowed CNPs to practice to the “full extent of their education and training” and the resulting consultative/collaborative model has created a business model that doesn’t work for CNPs. While CNPs are required to collaborate with a physician in delivery of healthcare services through file reviews, physicians are not required to collaborate with CNPs. This has created instability in these relationships that undermines the creation of a viable business model.

Ultimately, the delivery of healthcare services in areas where there is a shortage of General Practitioner Physicians relies on removing barriers to nurses practicing to the “full extent of their education and training.” This realization that friction points are impacting the delivery of healthcare services have spurred states across the country to develop and pass less restrictive policies. Virginia currently does not have pending legislation in the 2017 Legislative Session. Going forward, it’s in the best interest of the public to understand these issues and why it’s important to advocate for nurses who will ultimately provide the bulk of the care for an aging American population.

Nursing is increasingly moving from clinical settings to community settings. Baby Boomers started Center to Champion Nursing in Americahitting 65 in 2011 and will continue to hit that benchmark in enormous numbers through 2026. These are savvy consumers who fully expect to “age in place” in their homes and not in institutions. Quality of care for this growing population of Americans hinges on less restrictive policies for CNPs and APRNs and supporting healthcare models that are financially feasible for nurses to deliver healthcare in a variety of settings that meet the consumer’s needs.

Filed Under: Blogging, Inside Scoop, Political, TV Shows, Virginia, Women Tagged With: AARP, Andrea Brassard, APRN, CNP, David DeBiasi, Healthcare, Nursing, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Virginia, Winifred Quinn

by Catherine Read

Nurses in the 21st Century – Melissa Batchelor-Murphy

(Dec. 12, 2016) Catherine Read discusses the changes in the nursing profession with Melissa Batchelor Murphy, PhD, RN-BC, FNP-BC. Since Florence Nightingale first introduced nursing as a profession in the 19th century, there has been a steady evolution around what it means to “practice nursing.” There is now a variety of educational pathways, degrees and specialities within the field.

Dr. Batchelor-Murphy walks through what the various designations mean and how Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are delivering a great deal of the healthcare among specific populations like those in rural areas and to veterans being served by the Veterans Health Administration. A ruling just this week by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) grants three APRN roles (nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, and clinical nurse specialists) the ability to practice to the full extent of their education and training.

There is legislation at both the Federal level and state level to address regulations around what services APRNs may provide without needing a collaborating physician to sign off. Regulations vary from state to state with many states with high rural populations recognizing that a physician shortage in remote areas creates a challenge for delivery of basic health services. As more physicians specialize, the pool of General/Family Practitioners shrinks.

Nurses are also increasingly choosing to pursue specialities, although the distribution is uneven. Dr. Batchelor-Murphy who focuses her nursing practice on geriatric patients is part of only 1% of three million nurses nationwide who has chosen to do so. Despite a population hitting age 65 at a rate of 10,000 per day, there are not enough gerontologists to meet the need.

Dr. Batchelor-Murphy addresses the challenges of a lack of diversity among nurses, the cost considerations in pursuing a degree in nursing and the shortage of nurse educators in programs around the country. While much is being done to raise the visibility of the nursing profession and to increase the scope of services APRNs are able to provide, there is a long way to go in attracting both men and women of diverse backgrounds to consider the field.

More information and inquiries for Dr. Batchelor-Murphy can be sent to her via her website at www.DementiaCareNP.com

Filed Under: Blogging, Inside Scoop, TV Shows, Virginia, Women Tagged With: APRN, Healthcare, Melissa Batchelor-Murphy, Nurses, Nursing

Catherine S. Read
I believe in the power of community and the ability of one person to make a difference.

Read more…

Get the Latest

I will not spam you. Read my privacy policy.

Recent Posts

The Three Mothers – Anna Malaika Tubbs

Railroaded – Dale Brumfield

His Other Life – Melanie McCabe

The Art of Gathering – Priya Parker

Faithful Servant Awards on Your Need to Know

Laura Jane Cohen on Your Need to Know

Elaine Tholen on Your Need To Know

Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center

Search

Archives

Archives

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Read. Think. Act.

Copyright © 2021 Catherine S. Read · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy