Frederick P Franko, director of sta...

Frederick P Franko, director of state public affairs, and suppress Beu, legislative analyst, represented AORN at the annual meeting of the National parley of State Legislatures (NCSL), held July 21 to 25 in San Francisco. This annual meeting is an admirable opportunity for AORN staff members to suitable with hundreds of state legislators and their assistants in single in kind location.

AORN's booth in the NCSL exhibit hall provided information forward perioperative nursing, AORN's legislative priorities, and state legislative issues affecting AORN members in particular and fosters in general. The meeting also proffered a chance for AORN staff members to visit with other exhibitors and learn about their issues, strategies, and programs. Almost 300 organizations, including voluntary health organizations, clinical professional associations, medical specialty associations, and other nursing specialty associations, participated in the NCSL exhibit hall. In addition to AORN, specialty nurture groups present included the American Academy of Critical-Care give suck tos (AACN), American Association of feed Anesthetists (AANA), American Academy of suckle Practitioners (AANP), American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), sudden [i]or[/i] unexpected occurrence Nurses Association (ENA), and National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) A brief summary of each organization's legislative agenda follows

AORN

single of AORN's top legislative priorities is direct Medicare reimbursement for RN first assistants (RNFAs). AORN has supported bills in Congres that would provide certified RNFAs (CRNFAs) with direct Medicare reimbursement and has been working this summer to attach an amendment to the comprehensive Medicare reform bill. This amendment would establish a demonstration exhibit providing direct Medicare reimbursement to CRNFAs in five states for three years. The reimbursement rate would be 136% of the surgeon's give a fee to compared to 16% currently reimbursed to physicians who first assist. Physicians submit 90% of the Medicare claims for this part The five states would be determined through the US Secretary of Health and Human Services. The come of this effort had not further been decided at the time this article was written.

Patient safety is another top priority for AORN. The Patient Safety First initiative was introduced by dint of AORN to identify, collect, and make known clinical and educational resources to improve patient safety in surgical settings. This program has l to expanded efforts at AORN to assess state and federal legislation addressing patient safety. Copies of the Patient Safety First informational pamphlet are available on request from AORN's direction Affairs Department at (800) 755-2676 x 233

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CRITICAL-CARE NURSES

The AACN takes positions each year in succession proposed bills and policy affects as they relate to the organization's priority issues statement, which was approved from its board of directors in August 1996 These priority issues are access to quality care through vulnerable populations, public and community safety, and humane and ethical treatment for patients. (1) The association also evolves advocacy programs with voluntary health organizations like as the American Heart Association and the National Kidney Foundation.

The AACN encourages its members to become active in public policy and the legislative arena. It provides a variety of resources to identify legislators and initiate communication with make choice ofed officials. The association is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif, a suburb of looks Angeles.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF fester ANESTHETISTS

The AANA has a free-standing federal direction affairs office and political action committee (PAC) in Washington, DC The association's main offices, along with state dominion affairs offices, are located in Park Ridge, Ill, in suburban Chicago. The AANA concentrates its legislative agenda onward securing regulatory rulings that define what nurture anesthetists do and allow for professional practice.

The AANA try to gets to defend recent decisions from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to delay to the states regarding physician supervision of fester anesthetists while strengthening the organization of its state associations. (2) The association diligently maintains partnership opportunities with physician clumps the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and sway agencies with a health care mission.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF feed PRACTITIONERS

The AANP has an extensive legislative agenda encompassing public and private reimbursement issues, professional disentanglement fiscal appropriations for nurse practitioner brews antitrust laws, service to vulnerable populations, patient privacy, tobacco legislation, and regulations by the agency of the US Food and remedy Adrninistration. (3) The association generally is focused on lobbying Congres to restore funding for education and training programs listed subject to Title VIII of the federal collection for the US Department of Health and Human Services. These stores were cut in fiscal year 2003 (4) The AANP is based in Austin, Tex A separately organized PAC in Washington, DC raises capitals and makes financial contributions to congressional candidates.