HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Q&A 28 MAR / APR 2019 I  Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS   How and why did you get involved in the national organization for nurse practitio- ner advocacy? It’s an honor to serve in this capacity within the largest national professional membership organization representing nurse practitioners of all specialties. AANP supports NPs and their care of patients and their communities. The association is com- mitted to providing career long continuing education opportunities, student resources, peer-reviewed journals, and yes, advocate for a more effective healthcare system. NPs are critically important to helping our nation solve the cost, quality, and access challenges we face. I’m inspired by the work NPs before me have done to improve health and am looking forward to continuing that legacy. I became involved in AANP as a new nurse practitioner 23 years ago. I have always understood the value of professional involvement and responsible stewardship to drive the pivotal role NPs play in the health- care arena. AANP leads the NP profession through programs that impact policy, prac- tice, research, and education. As a young nurse practitioner, I realized the important role NPs play in impacting healthcare, as well as the key position AANP held, and I simply wanted to become involved in ser- vice to my profession that could facilitate positive changes in healthcare to benefit my patients. How do you see the role of the nurse practitioner in our current healthcare system? In a word—essential. Conducting over a billion patient visits per year is no small feat given the challenges in today’s healthcare landscape. This is just one of many indica- tors that suggest the role of the NP is on the rise, and I’m confident our trajectory as providers of high-quality care will continue upward. So, for many families, from rural to urban communities, NPs are becoming the go-to providers for primary care. As expert clinicians with advanced training in primary, acute, and specialty healthcare, patients like that NPs emphasize the health and well-being of the whole person in their approach, which includes helping patients make educated healthcare decisions and healthy lifestyle choices. That is the core of the role of the NP in our system today. What are some recent legislative accom- plishments of AANP? AANP is active on both the federal and state levels with an array of legislative pro- posals that will allow us to better serve our patients. To date, 22 states plus the District of Columbia and Guam have enacted full practice authority (FPA) licensure laws. This means NPs can practice to the fullest extent of their education and clinical exper- tise under their respective state’s Board of Nursing without unnecessary contracts with another provider for permission to practice their profession. This is the model for NPs’ scope of practice as recommended by the National Academy of Medicine and National Council of State Boards of Nursing. FPA isn’t just about NPs. States with FPA tend to have higher numbers of NPs in rural and underserved areas, have higher state health rankings, and some studies have demonstrated improved patient outcomes and cost benefits. “AANP is active on both the federal and state levels with an array of legislative proposals that will allow us to better serve our patients. ”