I believe the nature of being a nurse is to care. We are taught to care by our well meaning educators who believe that an integral part of nursing is to care. Whether it be relationship based or scientific based it is all about caring. Has this philosophy been so incorporated into our beings that we forgot to care about ourselves and our peers? This is not the time to roll over and say “I guess this is the way it is supposed to be”. We have legislation and reimbursement issues on the table that need to be dealt with. These issues affect our patients, our families and our jobs.
We are viewed by some of our legislators as soft caring people. I sometimes get the feeling that a few of our legislators would rather pat us on our heads, than deal with us across a table. We are never portrayed as fighters in the media. Who wants a fighting nurse? Seems like an oxymoron as we read it, doesn’t it?
I will admit that there are just as many legislators that respect all 8,000 Advanced Practice Nurses in Ohio as a formidable group that bear listening to. I salute those legislators as being knowledgeable and insightful. They are the ones who have realized that APNs are responsible for quality care and are the backbone of a sagging healthcare system. We are responsible for direct patient care in hospitals and in clinics, in private offices as well as urgent care clinics. We provide cost effective quality care with excellent outcomes. I can give you references that would take up this entire Challenge if anyone wants verification. As Chris Williams of the Reimbursement Committee said “There is robust research on the quality outcomes of APNs as well as the cost effectiveness of our care.”
I believe that this year we as nurses and APNs in Ohio need to really research who is running for the next general assembly. We need to ask frank questions when in the company of any legislator seeking our vote. Questions to ask include, “What is your stance on Healthcare Reform?”, “What is your stance on an APN led, Patient-Centered Medical Home?”, “Why do you think that the bill for Schedule II prescribing for APNs has been tabled so many times?”, “Why are APNs left out as primary care providers (PCPs) in many of the Ohio Medicaid Managed Health Plans, and as such cannot receive reimbursement for any services provided?”
When you have some of these answers, take your findings to your families and friends and tell them exactly what you have discovered about each candidate. Share your information on Linked-In, Face book and Twitter. Make sure that everyone you know has a good grasp on where each of the candidates stands on nursing and APN issues.
Finally, ask yourself if you’d have been better off taking debate class or taking better notes in government class when you were in college. Maybe some of our educators in the APN programs can find a way to integrate these valuable tools in to the pockets of our future APNs. Give them the tools and a voice to be articulate on government affairs. Encourage them to join their state organizations. And better yet, run for office.
Only with knowledge is there power.
Sincerely,
Kitty Lowry-Collins
President OAAPN |
