Professional Nursing Organizations
Instructions:-
Introduction (___/10)
Compare the Florida Nurse Practice Act and two Professional NP
Organizations: Select two different professional NP organizations (____/20)
Describe the mission of these organizations
Discuss how these organizations impact and influence advanced nursing practice
Describe how these organizations may influence scope of practice of NPs in Florida
Key players (____/20)
Who are the key players in this process?
Legislative change (____/20)
What steps must take place for legislative change specific to scope of practice?
Personal views (____/20)
Describe the significance of these organization’s actions to your personal views on NP practice and leadership
Scholastic writing: (____/10)
- Length of paper: 4 pages ‘maximum- excluding title and reference page (Yes/No)
- Must use at list 10 references: 5 of these references must be less than 5 years’ old (Yes/No)
- APA Style: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and writing style (Yes/No)
Solution
Professional Nursing Organizations
Introduction
Professional organizations serve a fundamental role in shaping and developing nursing around the world. According to Mason, Gardner, Outlaw, and O’Grady (2015), the different professional organizations focus on professional development by representing and protecting nurses. Membership in professional nursing associations gives nurses from the different areas of practice the representation and protection, allowing for effective working environments. However, nurses must meet the set requirements to ensure efficient, safe, and quality practice and services. The Florida Nurse Practice Act sets guidelines to ensure that practicing nurses meet the minimum competency. Those who do not meet the requirements pose a danger to the communities they serve and are, therefore, barred from practicing in Florida. This essay compares the Florida Nurse Practice Act (FNPA), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioner (FLANP) to outline the key players, how they influence the scope of practice of nurse practitioners (NPs) in Florida, and the necessary steps for legislative change.
The FLANP and the AANP
The FLANP focuses on the improvement of access to health care by removing the legislative barriers that bar APNs from delivering care. The association works towards fostering and supporting respect among nurses regardless of their areas of specialty. FLANP prioritizes the interests of the public in the quest to ensure quality improvement in nursing and promote Floridian’s access to quality and affordable health care services. To achieve its objectives, the association educates communities within Florida on health issues and nursing for the promotion of health and cost-effectiveness in healthcare. Moreover, the FLANP promotes awareness of ANP through education, highlights its importance in enhancing efficiency and quality in health care delivery, and supports advanced practice nurses by lobbying for change of policies and regulations that influence the practice negatively (FLANP, 2017). It works collaboratively with communities and the media to highlight the problems inhibiting effectiveness and quality improvement in Florida’s health care systems (Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2017).
On the other hand, the AANP focuses on empowering NPs to advance quality in the provision of health care. The association integrates strategies to ensure high-quality services and continuous quality improvement in health care through practice, research, effective leadership, education, and advocacy (AANP, 2017). The achievement of the above mission relies heavily on the ability of the association to foster its core values, which include integrity, excellence in delivery of care, professionalism, good leadership, and dedication to service. In its quest to improve the quality of health care system the association represents NPs on matters licensure, safety, access and reform of health care, and reimbursement among other critical issues that influence practice. Further, representation of nurses in health organizations and national committees influences advanced nursing practice significantly (AANP, 2017).
The two associations influence the NPs’ scope of practice in Florida considerably by alleviating barriers to practice and advocating for an effective environment where nurses can practice fully in accordance with their education, training, and experience. The elimination of the restrictive regulatory barriers through by educating Floridians on health care and the state of the health care system plays an important role in expanding the scope of practice (Mason, Gardner, Outlaw, & O’Grady, 2015). The associations push for the inclusion of highly skilled and trained but restricted physicians in the provision of services according to their training and education. This continues to remove barriers in health care provision (Patton, Zalon, & Ludwick, 2015).
Key Players
As the professional nursing associations focus on the achievement of their objectives, they apply a collaborative approach that includes different players. The major players in the process are nurses, the public, patients, national committees, the media, and legal entities. Further, FLANP involves corporate, non-governmental and governmental organizations, and other professional associations to promote and achieve its mission (FLANP, 2017). The contribution of the nurses and patients in terms of health care needs and concerns makes it possible for the associations to identify the key concerns that ail the health care system. However, the education of the public through different programs including the media creates awareness of the concerns and improves the effectiveness of the lobbies and advocacy programs. Further, national committees and health organizations enable discussions concerning the different issues highlighted. Since the removal of restrictive laws is a legislative process, working with government agencies and legal entities is equally important.
Most importantly, legislators are key players who perform legislative activities advanced by the nurses, public, and nursing associations. Legislators apply information and review and evaluate proposed changes objectively to represent nurses and their patients, and promote health care through a change of regulations and laws that limit effectiveness and efficiency of the health care system in Florida. Further, the legislators are equally important in the licensure process and in defining the scope of practice. Nurse legislators define practice and outline the role different nursing practices should perform in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the association legislators push for change of outdated approaches and scope of practice.
Legislative Process
The Florida legislature, including the Representative and Senators, plays an important role in defining legislation in the State. The legislative process starts with a legislator sponsoring a bill, which is referred to a committee or committees of experts for discussion. The committee(s) decides whether the bill passes, fails, or requires amendment. The passing of the bills sees it through to the full chamber where a majority vote determines the acceptance, rejection, or recommendation for change. If a bill is passed then the Legislature’s other chamber reviews and passes of fails it. A passed bill moves to the Governor, who allows it to pass into law with or without a signature (Pyle & Bast, 2017). To change a specific scope of practice, the identification of the specific issues affecting the health care is important. The identified issue leads to the development of an idea, which is sponsored as a bill by a legislator. The associations lobby for the development of a bill through organizations, the public, and the media by pushing the legislators to adopt and sponsor the issue as a bill. Once sponsored, it goes through the outlined stages before it becomes a law. Its implementation starts after the Governors passes it into law.
Personal Views
The improvement of the quality of
health care in Florida and the US requires the collaborative efforts of
different organizations, the public, and media. Nursing practitioners play an
important role in promoting the quality and efficiency of the health care
system. The need for the nursing associations to work towards the advancement
of health care quality, safety, and efficiency is undeniable. The FLANP and
AANP are critical in the process of developing professionalism in nursing,
enhancing competence, and protecting the rights of the nurses and the public. Personally,
I feel that the associations have played an immense role in promoting quality
and representing nurses and the public. In the recent past, the quest to do
away with restrictive and outdated regulations in health care, which limit efficiency
and quality, has achieved significant success in the promotion of health care. The
efforts of the associations have resulted in improved quality, access to health
care, cost-effectiveness, affordability, and safety. Additionally, the Florida
health care system is moving towards a more efficient system and increased
scope of nursing practice, where the nurses will practice in line with their education,
training, skills, and competence. However, I feel that more needs to be done to
speed the process. An integrated approach of all stakeholders to reform the
Florida Nurse Practice Act (FNPA) is necessary to reduce restrictions and align
the system with the health care needs of the 21st century.
References
AANP. (2017). Legislation/Regulation. Retrieved from AANP: https://www.aanp.org/legislation-regulation
AANP. (2017). Strategic Focus. Retrieved from AANP: https://www.aanp.org/about-aanp/strategic-focus
FLANP. (2017). FLANP Policy Statement and Platform. Retrieved from FLANP : http://www.flanp.org/?page=Platform&hhSearchTerms=%22mission%22
Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2017). Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners FLANP. Retrieved from Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners: https://flanp.enpnetwork.com/
Mason, D. J., Gardner, D. B., Outlaw, F. H., & O’Grady, E. T. (2015). Policy & politics in nursing and health care. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.
Patton, R. M., Zalon, M. L., & Ludwick, R. (2015). Nurses making policy: from bedside to boardroom. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Pyle, R. C., & Bast, C. M. (2017). Foundations of law: cases, commentary and ethics. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
