Legislative Update 2013

Colleagues:

MAAPC is supporting, along with the Maryland Nurses Association’s (MNA) and the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM) Senate Bill 273 – Veterans Full Employment Act and Senate Bill 44 – Occupational and Professional Licensing – Military Training and Military Spouses

The Maryland Board of Nursing (MBoN) has a bill before the legislature to endorse Excelsior graduates.   MAPPC, along with the MNA and NPAM, is supporting on the MBoN’s position that they need at least a 1,000 hours of practice in the immediate 12 months before applying for an endorsement license in Maryland. Excelsior is lobbying for less.   

Since 2009 the Board has held 2 work groups and learned from Excelsior that they do not evaluate clinical learning or experience as a prerequisite for admission to their nursing program.   It is strictly a home study program and students are evaluated with challenge exams.  No formal curriculum.  The Board feels that 1,000 hours is the minimum experience needed in an RN role to be able to safely endorse these applicants.

Our bills – HB630 and S747 – are in front of their respective committees and I will be testifying before the House on February 19 and before the Senate on Wednesday, February 20. The MBoN and the Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants (MAPA) will be testifying, in favor, as well.

We also have support from the Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), MNA, and NPAM. We don’t think there will be much resistance but you never know!

To follow the bills progress; read the text on line; and to see sponsors in the House and Senate, go to: Maryland General Assembly and enter the bill number.

I will keep you posted on events!

Your roving correspondent in Annapolis, Elaine

P.S. Our conference has been approved 7.0 contact hours of continuing education (which includes 1.0 hour of pharmacology)