State Legislative Update
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STATE LEGISLATIVE NEWS
by Cara Kinzelman, PhD, ACNM Manager, State Government Affairs
ongratulations are in order for the ACNM Nevada Affiliate— new legislation to eliminate the required written collaborative agreement was signed into law on June 3. This law is a victory for both the The Advocacy and Government Affairs Department affiliate and the citizens of Nevada: a 2011 is pleased to announce the launch of a new online study by the Nevada State Office of Rural legislative tracking system. The system is designed Health found that 281,000 residents of rural to efficiently convey information about legislative counties were served by only 215 medical and regulatory developments related to the practice of midwifery. Each state doctors, 2 licensed psychiatrists, and 1350 has its own site that is updated daily. The tracking system may be accessed registered nurses. This legislation will enat www.midwife.org/State-legislative-developments-tracking-system. sure that more Nevadans will have access to the high-quality care delivered by certified nurse-midwives. nonscheduled prescription drugs and Schedule 2-5 controlled States are making significant strides in implementing the substances, and require APRNs licensed for less than 2 years National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s 2010 Consensus to enter into a mentorship agreement in order to prescribe and Model. The model seeks uniformity in requirements for licensure, administer drugs, among other things. The bill is still under accreditation, certification, and education for APRNs, including consideration by the legislature. independent practice and independent prescribing authority. Only 6 The North Carolina bill to end physician supervision was sucstates— Montana, Idaho, Vermont, North Dakota, Utah, and New cessfully passed from the House Health & Human Services ComMexico— are considered to have fully implemented the model, mittee in May. It was then modified to a study bill, then unexpectbut many states are close behind. Arkansas, for example, passed edly referred to the Rules Committee, which prevented it from legislation in April that establishes the qualifications for and title of making the crossover deadline. Despite this setback, the affiliate advanced practice registered nurse. In nearly half the states, midremains committed to its efforts to remove physician supervision. wives are now regulated as APRNs. Other states, such as Hawaii, The ACNM New Mexico Affiliate has recently had a signifihave requested state agencies to identify the barriers that prevent cant legislative victory regarding ultrasound practice. Since 2009, APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and any health care provider engaging in medical imaging has been training. regulated and licensed by the Department of the Environment Sixteen states have introduced legislation related to practice as a medical imaging professional or radiation therapist. That autonomy and independent or expanded prescriptive authority legislation failed to exclude nurse-midwives from the regulatory thus far. Numerous ACNM affiliates, including but not limited to requirements and resulted in a 2-year campaign in coalition with Kansas, Michigan, and North Carolina, have focused on access nursing and the nurse practitioners to exempt the use of ultrasound to care, quality measurements, and cost containment arguments in procedures by midwives, among other things. This was achieved their advocacy efforts supporting these bills. In general, ACNM by the enactment of S.342 on April 2. Congratulations to the New affiliates have excelled at finding a clear and simple message that Mexico Affiliate! resonates with the public and legislators, and allows for persistent Numerous states are giving increased consideration to maternity and unified advocacy messages. care ????????-????????????????????????????????????%Q???-??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????AI9?????????????????????????
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