AANP Kansas Representative News from Michelle Knowles.

Hi fellow APRN Colleagues:

I want to remind everyone that the deadline for the nominations for 2016 State NP and NP Advocate of the Year is rapidly approaching. The NP State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual NP in each state who has demonstrated excellence in NP clinical practice. The Advocate State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and acceptance of NPs. Examples of past recipients have been physicians, legislators, educators, etc. NPs are also eligible for the advocate award for non-clinical practice initiatives related to leadership, precepting, policy, politics, research, education, or community affairs. Membership in AANP is not a requirement to nominate someone or to be nominated. Nominations are open from August 10 thru October 9, 2015. The process is easy and only takes about 5 minutes. Please take a moment this week to nominate a deserving individual.

Just a reminder that National NP Week 2015 is November 8 – 14. It is an excellent opportunity to educate the general public, media and lawmakers about the vital role that NPs play in health care. The AANP NP Resource Guide is at aanp.org. The Guide is available to help you plan activities within your practice as well as in your community. Please take the time to celebrate the many contributions NPs make to health care in your community.

I also want to remind you of the APRN Legislative Summit that will be held in Kansas City October 16, 2015. Dr. Tay Kopanos will be speaking, along with the keynote speaker, Dr. Loretta Ford. The Nebraska AANP State Rep, Dr. LeAnn Holmes will also be a speaker. It should be an excellent 1-day conference focused on health policy. I have included the link: APRN Summit in Kansas City.

Please continue to stay engaged with state and federal policy issues. We continue to work towards moving our profession forward. There are many obstacles, but if we remain focused and support each other, we will succeed. It starts with small things, such as using the best language to help individuals understand the role of NPs. For example, when you encounter people or institutions who use the term "mid-level", please share that the term doesn't reflect the role of NPs. NPs provide comprehensive health care services, and our institutions want patients to know that they and their family members are getting care from quality care providers--not "mid-level care" like use of that term may suggest. Be sure to use APRN or NP or whatever is appropriate for the situation. Start the process of change in your own work environment.

In Kansas, we are currently faced with a new challenge. The Board of Healing Arts (which regulates physicians) has opened dialog around the Kansas Medical Society's idea of joint regulation of APRNS under the Board of Healing Arts and the Board of Nursing. The Board of Healing Arts has held one meeting to share the concept with the Board of Nursing and other stakeholders. The KS Board of Nursing and the Nursing community was successful in holding a bill that would have created joint oversight earlier this spring. Joint oversight is not necessary, we do NOT want this and are working hard to keep this from happening. It is too early to report much more, but I will let you know as time goes by. Please let me know if you know any of the BON or BOHA members personally.

Let me know how I can help you.

Michelle Knowles
AANP Kansas Rep.