1. Nursing Role in Healthcare Policy & Politics Updated October 2015

2. Nursing’s Role as Educator and Influencer

3. Key Initiatives  Kitchen Cabinet  Nursing’s Visibility at the Capital  Grassroots Advocacy  Nurses on Boards  Continuing Education Programs

4. Nursing’s Public Policy Platform #1 Enable Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to contribute to the health care solution by practicing to their full scope of education and training. While Virginia has enabled collaborative agreements for APRN practice, it’s essential that we continue to remove the barriers that restrict their full scope of practice.

5. IOM Recommendation 1 Remove scope-of-practice barriers Objective All nurses should practice to the fullest extent of their training Objective Educate stakeholders, legislators and the public about APRN regulatory barriers that prevent full practice authority to continue efforts to reform outdated scope- of-practice regulations …Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

6. House Bill 346 passed and signed by Governor  Eliminates supervisory language  Emphasizes collaboration and consultation between NPs (LNP & CNMs) and physicians to practice in teams  Increases from 4 to 6 number of APRNs physicians can collaborate with  HB 346 manifested in 2013 …Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

7. Next Steps…  Explore how the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist can help advance this initiative  Explore billing opportunities for specialty nursing forensics; diabetic educator; wound care specialists - in order to promote the value of autonomous nurse practice in these areas  Examine the culture of the work setting …Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

8. #2 Increase educational capacity and faculty salaries at the state’s schools of nursing in order to ensure an adequate supply of registered nurses to meet the future needs of the residents of the Commonwealth. An influx of millions of patients in our health care system in the next several years will result in a nursing shortage. To mitigate this problem, it is imperative that our schools have the capacity to accommodate a growing number of nursing students. Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

9. #3 Ensure efficient regulatory process for the Board of Nursing and support excellence in nursing education through effective regulations. Timely action by the administration will ensure a timely turn-around on regulations. Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

10. #4 Increase the number of nurses on public policy and regulatory boards. Nurses are pivotal to addressing the challenges we will confront with implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and their voice should be part of public policy discussion as a voting member of key boards and councils. Nursing’s Public Policy Platform

11. IOM Recommendation 7 Prepare and enable nurses to lead change to advance health Objective Determine strategic boards to which nurse could be appointed and work with stakeholders to identify, mentor, and recommend individuals for those appointments Nurses on Boards

12.  Identifying Emerging & Advanced Leaders  Positioning Nurses for Voting Board Seats  Focus on Government & Hospital Boards  Database of nurses and nurse mentors  Toolkit available at virginianurses.comvirginianurses.com  Served as exemplar at recent Leadership in Action: Models & National Strategy conference

13. What do these professions have in common? Grassroots Advocacy  Special education teacher  Nurse  Civics teacher  Farmer  TV Reporter

14. Grassroots Advocacy  Delegate “Dickie Bell” – Special education teacher  Delegate Rosalyn Dance – Nurse  Delegate Kirk Cox – Civics teacher  Delegate Mathew Farris – Farmer  Senator John Miller – TV Reporter

15. Nursing’s Visibility at the Capital  Teams of nurses and student nurses greeting & meeting legislators twice weekly during the legislative session.  Purpose is two-fold:  Ensure nursing is top of mind with legislators  Educate legislators re: Nursing’s Public Policy Platform  Educate & influence legislators on issues before the General Assembly

16. Grassroots Advocacy Be Your Own Lobbyist!  Get to know your legislator!  Building a relationship is worth its weight in gold  During session is not the best time to do this  Legislators love having someone with area expertise they can call on  You have two things legislators need:  Expertise  Votes

17. Grassroots Advocacy  Building the relationship  In office visits after session.  Invite legislators to your workplace.  Invite legislators to your professional meetings.  Knowledge is power; online resources:  Who's my legislator? (Use the link on the GA main page)  General Assembly main page (http://legis.virginia.gov)  All the information you could ever want (http://leg1.state.va.us)

18. Grassroots Advocacy  Government Relations Commission  1-2 Legislative Ambassadors from each Chapter  Focus on grassroots advocacy  Partnerships with area nursing schools  CQ Roll Call

19. Annual Conferences & Events  Annual Legislative Day – Held each February in downtown Richmond  Fall Legislative Receptions – Northern VA, Central VA…  ANA Lobby Day – Each July

20. Kevin M. Shimp, Legislative Chair 804-828-1684 / Kevin.Shimp@.com