Call to Action! Please contact Senator Nathan-Pulliam and Delegate Cullison

Colleagues

MAAPC has been working with the Board of Nursing (BoN) on a ‘cleanup bill’ which is a long list of mostly language changes in the Nurse Practice Act (NPA) within COMAR. It does however change the set up of the Board itself requiring that 2 members are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), one of which will be a NP and the other a CRNP, NMW or CNS.

It will be set up this way, as statistically there are many more practicing NPs in Maryland than the other 3 disciplines together.

The Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MANA) wants a permanent seat on the Board and Senator Nathan-Pulliam is supporting MANA. The BoN has added one more APRN seat to the Board and taken away one LPN seat in the clean-up bill.  This provides for two APRN seats.  Also, with having two seats on the Board the APRN will be able to serve for two full terms if re-appointed.  

One of the APRN seats was to be designated for a CRNP.  However, when MANA convinced the Senator that the other seat should be a CRNA we amended that provision to allow any APRN to be nominated for an opening on the Board. This gives everyone two chances to be on the Board.

We, the BoN and MAAPC are very concerned that now that we have a chance to put two APRNs on the Board that we will be locked into a CRNA, forever, for one of them.  We think that is unfair to the other APRN specialties. The BoN amendment will allow any Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, certified in any of the four APRN specialties, to submit their names for a vacancy in the APRN Board positions. It will also allow an APRN member, if reappointed, to serve a second term.  

Senate Bill 385 – Maryland Nurse Practice Act - Revisions

Of the [8] 9 registered nurse [Board] members:

(i) [1] 2 shall be [certified in an] advanced practice [nursing specialty that rotates with each vacancy among the following specialties:

1. Nurse anesthetist;
2. Nurse practitioner;
3. Nurse midwife; and
4. Nurse psychotherapist] REGISTERED NURSES, OF WHICH 1 SHALL BE A REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONER;

 

Or more simply: Of the 9 registered nurse [Board] members, 2 shall be advanced practice REGISTERED NURSES, OF WHICH 1 SHALL BE A REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONER;

We need everyone's help.  Please contact Senator Nathan-Pulliam and Delegate Bonnie Cullison (the Sponsor of the BoN’s clean-up bill in the House):

Senator Nathan-Pulliam: 410-841-3612 or shirley.nathan.pulliam@senate.state.md.us 

Delegate Cullison: 410-841-3883 or bonnie.cullison@house.state.md.us 

If you email cut and paste this (and change as you wish)

Senator Nathan-Pulliam

My name is XXX, I am a NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS in Maryland, zip code ***** and I am in favor of the Board of Nursing’s amendment to SB 385: Of the 9 registered nurse [Board] members, 2 shall be advanced practice REGISTERED NURSES, OF WHICH 1 SHALL BE A REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONER.

Thank you for your support of the amendment.

If you need more information please feel free to contact me or my Legislative Chairs, Elaine Crain and Lorraine Diana at themaapc@gmail.com

XXX, NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS

Email

Phone (if you want to add)

 

Delegate Cullison

My name is XXX, I am a NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS in Maryland, zip code ***** and I am in favor of the Board of Nursing’s amendment to SB 385: Of the 9 registered nurse [Board] members, 2 shall be advanced practice REGISTERED NURSES, OF WHICH 1 SHALL BE A REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONER.

Please support this amendment when SB 385 is cross-filled as a House bill.

If you need more information please feel free to contact me or my Legislative Chairs, Elaine Crain and Lorraine Diana at themaapc@gmail.com

XXX, NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS

Email

Phone (if you want to add)

 

If you call say this (or the like) – you will probably get a staffer rather than the Senator/Delegate

Senator Nathan-Pulliam’ office

Hi, my name is XXX, I am a NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS in Maryland, zip code ***** and I am in favor of the Board of Nursing’s amendment to SB 385. Thanks for your hard work answering the phones!"

 

Delegate Cullison’s office.

Hi, my name is XXX, I am a NP/CRNA/NMW/CNS in Maryland, zip code ***** and I am in favor of the Board of Nursing’s amendment to SB 385. Please support this amendment when SB 385 is cross-filled as a House bill. Thanks for your hard work answering the phones!"

 

For more information about how the General Assembly works and to follow this bill, please visit our Legislative website, Maryland APRN Independent Practice Alliance. Please also consider joining MAAPC, the only Maryland association that welcomes as members all APRNs (NP, CNM, CNS and CRNP) and PAs.

Elaine Crain, FNP

MAAPC Communication Chair