Legislative agenda Registered Nurses 243,000 in Texas Need your support 6 issues APRN FULL PRACTICE AUTHORITY NURSE EDUCATION SCHOOL NURSES WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEXAS WOMEN'S HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH 86TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION OUR Priorities ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES WORKPLACE PROTECTION NLAC recommends increasing access to care for Texans by removing NLAC supports applying safe patient handling and mobility requirements, unnecessary barriers to practice for APRNs and preserving APRN practice. mandatory overtime prohibitions, nurse staffing requirements and workplace PRIORITY safety procedural requirements for freestanding emergency facilities. These are HB 278 by Rep. Tom Oliverson – PAA supervision meetings by videoconference required of hospitals, and freestanding centers should met the same standards. SB 311 by Sen. Charles Perry – PAA supervision meetings by videoconference NLAC supports legislation which expands workplace violence protection for health care facility employees and requires broad reporting and preventive measures. HB 1146 by Rep. Donna Howard – Requiring workplace violence protections for PRIORITY health care facilities PUBLIC HEALTH COALITION NLAC supports public health initiatives that will benefit Texans and lower state health care expenditures. The Legislature should protect our youth by improving the quality of health education in schools and raising the minimum age of tobacco TEXAS WOMEN'S HEALTH COALITION sales from 18 to 21. The Legislature should support communicable disease prevention by ensuring parents have the right to know about school vaccination NLAC supports strengthening Women’s Health Programs, improving access to con- exemption rates, requiring influenza vaccination and improving access to the traceptives and minimizing barriers to preventative care. safety-net immunization program. SB 338 by Sen. Joan Huffman – Setting minimum tobacco purchase age at 21 HB 749 by Rep. John Zerwas – Setting minimum tobacco purchase age at 21 NURSE EDUCATION The Nursing Shortage Reduction Program (NSRP) provides incentive funding to institutions that increase nursing graduates. Given the severity of the nursing shortage in Texas, NLAC recommends continuing this program and increasing PRIORITY both flexibility and utilization of the program with increased appropriation. SCHOOL NURSES The Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Program provides an incentive for nurses School nurses are the first line of caregivers for children with existing or developing to accept faculty positions in nursing schools. NLAC recommends increasing the health issues. NLAC encourages the Legislature to allow providers in Texas to flexibility of the program as well as the appropriation to support it. prescribe asthma inhalers to schools under a standing order so that school nurses can adequately provide emergency care to students in need. SB 358 by Sen. Juan Hinojosa – Increasing flexibility in the NFLRP Nursing Legislative Agenda Texas Nursing Coalition 22Organizations The Nursing Legislative that the coalition developed Agenda Coalition (NLAC) and agreed upon during Texas Nurses Association Texas Association of Deans & Directors of Texas Nurse Practitioners Professional Nursing Programs is a coalition of nursing the interim. Association of Operating Room Nurses of Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice organizations around Greater Houston Texas Association of Vocational Nurse Educators Texas that join together to This joint effort includes Association of Operating Room Nurses – North Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists share ideas, strategies and input from tens of thousands Harris Montgomery County Texas Clinical Nurse Specialists of nurses on each agenda Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics & Texas Council of Perioperative Registered Nurses priorities for nursing issues Neonatal Nurses Texas Emergency Nurses Association during the Texas Legislature. item and amplifies our Consortium of Texas Certified Nurse Midwives Texas Nursing Students’ Association collective voice on issues Houston Chapter Oncology Nursing Society Texas Organization of Associate Degree Nurses Each legislative session, that no individual Houston Organization of Nurse Executives Texas Organization of Baccalaureate & Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of Texas Graduate Nurse Educators NLAC representatives work organization alone could Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of Austin Texas Organization of Nurse Executives at the Capitol to further a tackle. Texas School Nurses Organization nursing legislative agenda NLAC is led by Texas Nurses Association, the oldest and largest nursing association in Texas. Our members Improve Health care for all Texans represent all segments of nursing practice, and our mission is to empower nurses to advance the profession. by Supporting Texas Nurses APRN Support SB 358 Nursing FUll 24 Education states By 2030, Texas will be have passed Practice MORE FACULTY MEANS MORE NURSES Full Practice 60,000 In 2016, 30% of students were denied admittance to colleges of nursing due to a lack of faculty. The Authority. nurses short. Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Program needs Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are masters- to be increased from $3 million to $10 million to or doctorate-level health care providers who are subject to incentivize more nurses to enter faculty positions to specific occupational licensing barriers which limit access to train the next generation of providers. care for patients and drive up the cost of health care in Texas. Support HB 278 and SB 311 Workplace Support HB 1146 the Coalition for Violence Threat 50% Health Care Access Of all workplace assaults, 70% occurred in health care and Sexual Harassment 82% social service settings. One in Verbal Abuse 46% two nurses has experienced SUPPORTING FULL PRACTICE AUTHORITY FOR workplace violence. HB 1146 Physical Violence 64% ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES will provide protections for nurses The majority of nurses surveyed by the Texas Department of State Health and other health care workers. Services had experienced one of these types of workplace violence. AARP Texas Association of Business APRN Alliance Texas Business Leadership Council Center for Public Policy Priorities Texas Impact WHAT TEXAS NEEDS: Health care workers Coalition of Texans with Disabilities The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature HB 1146 will require The Heartland Institute Texas Public Policy Foundation • A workplace violence prevention policy Leading Age Texas Texas Organization of Rural Community and plans at health care facilities. Methodist Healthcare Ministries Hospitals • An annual review of the plan. ARE 3X NAMI Texas University Health System • Workplace safety training. As likely to experience Nursing Legislative Agenda Coalition Young Conservatives of Texas • A system for responding to violent incidents. R Street • Facilities to provide post-incident treatment. violence at work. THANK YOU for Supporting Texas Nurses Acting on the issues in the NLAC Legislative Agenda will not only improve nurses' work environments but ultimately lead to better care for patients and all Texans. CONTACT: Andrew Cates [email protected] 512.452.0645 x157 texasnurses.org/NLAC.