MISSOURI STATE B OARD OF N UR S I N G NEW S LETTER The Official Publication of the Missouri State Board of Nursing with a quarterly circulation of approximately 113,000 to all RNs and LPNs Volume 14 • No. 1 February, March, April 2012 Governor Message from the President The Honorable Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon Aubrey F. Moncrief, CRNA • University of Missouri, Kansas City Department Of Insurance, • Cox College Financial Institutions And I had the pleasure to appear with Governor Nixon for • University of Missouri, Columbia Professional Registration the announcement of the Caring for Missourians grants • William Jewell College John M. Huff, Director awarded by the Board of Nursing. Congratulations to the seven grant recipients: Our thanks go to Governor Nixon and the nurses of Missouri for making this huge impact on nursing education Division Of Professional Registration • University of Missouri, St. Louis in our state. Jane A. Rackers, Director • Ozark Technical College, Springfield • Mineral Area College Be careful out there. Board Members Aubrey Moncrief, CRNA President Executive Director’s Report Deborah Wagner, RN Vice President by Lori Scheidt, Executive Director No cards will be issued for Licensure Renewal Irene Coco, LPN Although license cards have historically been perceived Secretary The 2012 legislative session starts January 4, 2012 and as “proof” of licensure, the fact is that wallet cards are will go through May 18, 2012. Legislators began pre-filing subject to fraud, loss, and theft. Additionally, there is an Adrienne Anderson Fly, JD bills on December 1, 2011. assumption that the card carrier’s license status is current Public Member Representative David Sater (R-District 68) pre-filed HB as it reads on the card. In fact, the information could be up Lisa Green, PhD(c), RN 1072 which would establish the Volunteer Health Services to two years old. Implementation of the Nurse Licensure Member Act to allow certain licensed health professionals to Compact added another element–whether the person has a provide services without additional licensure requirements. multistate or single state license. Relying on a license card Roxanne McDaniel, RN, PhD Senator Robin Wright-Jones (D-District 5) pre-filed SB puts the public at risk and puts employers at risk for civil Member 494 which would create the Medical Harm Disclosure Act penalties and other sanctions. to require reporting of medical harm events. On January 1, 2010 Missouri eliminated the issuance Rhonda Shimmens, RN, BSN, MBA, C Senator Robin Wright-Jones has pre-filed SB 2500, of license cards for regular license renewals. A license Member which will modify the state legal expense coverage of card will still be issued upon initial licensure in Missouri Ann K. Shelton, PhD, RN certain health professionals and would modify hospital (by exam or endorsement). However, the initial card will Member patient safety policies. not have an expiration date or multistate or single state Legislation impacts nursing careers, shapes health care license status. It will contain the nurse’s name, profession policy and influences the care delivered to patients. Your and license number. Nurses and employers should go to Executive Director education, expertise, and well-earned public respect as www.nursys.com to verify multistate or single state license a nurse can allow you to exert considerable influence on status, discipline and expiration date. Lori Scheidt, BS health care policy. Nurses have been somewhat reluctant to Eliminating the issuance of license cards for renewals do this in the past but you are in an excellent position to benefits the Board, licensees, employers and the public. Address/Telephone Number advocate for patients. Never underestimate the importance • Assists employers in satisfying Joint Commission of what you have to say. As a professional, you bring a standards requiring use of primary source data for Missouri State Board of Nursing unique perspective to health care issues and often have license verifications. 3605 Missouri Boulevard intimate knowledge that helps provide insight for our • Provides quicker access by employers to disciplinary PO Box 656 legislators. actions taken by the Board. Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656 You should make your thoughts known to your • Eliminates lost, stolen and duplicate licenses. legislative representatives. You can meet with, call, write • Eliminates imposters using fraudulent licenses. 573-751-0681 Main Line or e-mail your legislators. Let your legislators know how to • Increases the efficiency of licensure, investigative/ 573-751-0075 Fax reach you, your area of expertise, and that you are willing monitoring and legal staff in license-related Web site: http://pr.mo.gov to give them information on issues related to nursing. You functions. E-mail: [email protected] can find information about the status of bills and how to • Licensure verification is available free 24/7 at www. contact legislators at http://moga.mo.gov/. nursys.com We have focused this issue of the newsletter on • Reduces expenses by an estimated at $148,000 after issues that may prompt legislation to make changes 2012. Presort Standard US Postage in our health care system. We invite you to become • Reduces paper–going green! PAID more informed about these important issues, Permit #14 monitor bills that are filed in relation to them and Princeton, MN use your voice to shape the future. current resident or 55371 Visit our web site at: http://pr.mo.gov Page 2 • Missouri State Board of Nursing February, March, April 2012 Important Telephone Numbers DISCLAIMER CLAUSE The Nursing Newsletter is published quarterly by the Department of Health & Senior Services (nurse aide verifications and general questions) 573-526-5686 Missouri State Board of Nursing of the Division of Professional Registration of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration. Providers offering Missouri State Association for Licensed Practical Nurses (MoSALPN) 573-636-5659 educational programs advertised in the Newsletter should be contacted directly and not the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Missouri Nurses Association (MONA) 573-636-4623 Advertising is not solicited nor endorsed by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Missouri League for Nursing (MLN) 573-635-5355 For advertising rates and information, please contact Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) 573-893-3700 Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, [email protected]. Missouri State Board of Nursing and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising Gov. Nixon Announces Grants to Educate is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement. More Nurses at Missouri Colleges, Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the Board of products advertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection of an advertisement does not Universities imply a product offered for advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks integrity, or that this association ST. LOUIS–Gov. Jay Nixon today visited the by the institutions. In the second and third years of the disapproves of the product or its use. The Board and the University of Missouri–St. Louis College of Nursing to program, the board will again invite applications and Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be held liable for any consequences resulting from purchase or use of an announce $1 million in grants to educate additional nurses award the grants on a competitive basis. advertiser’s product. Articles appearing in this publication express at colleges and universities across the state. According to its grant application, UMSL plans to the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views The grants, made available through Gov. Nixon’s Caring expand its undergraduate nursing program by 32 students of the staff, board, or membership of the Board or those of the for Missourians Initiative, are funded by revenue generated and develop a pilot program for expanding the number of national or local associations. from nursing license fees collected by the Missouri State future nursing faculty it educates at the doctoral level. Board of Nursing. The program will provide $1 million “We applaud Gov. Nixon and the State Board of Nursing in grants each year in Fiscal Years 2012, 2013 and 2014. for their leadership in helping us educate more nurses at Number of Nurses Currently Public and private colleges and universities are eligible this critical time,” said Sandy Lindquist, interim dean to apply for grants of up to $150,000 per institution per of the UMSL College of Nursing. “Hospitals, clinics and Licensed in the State of year to hire additional faculty, purchase vital educational other providers are hiring nurses as quickly as possible, but equipment or offer scholarships. capacity limits have forced us to turn away too many good Missouri “A nursing education is a direct pathway to a rewarding students in the past. This grant will help us significantly As of January 24, 2012 and lifelong career, but for too long, too many students expand our undergraduate program, while also laying the have been turned away from nursing education programs groundwork to expand our graduate program in the future. Profession Number because they were at full capacity,” Gov. Nixon said. “As This is a real win for Missouri’s economy and the health of our economy begins to move forward, health care will our state.” Licensed Practical Nurse 25,512 continue to be a growing industry in our state. These grants Launched in fall 2009, Caring for Missourians was will help our nursing schools educate more students and a one-time investment of $40 million to increase the Registered Professional Nurse 91,792 connect them with good jobs in every corner of Missouri.” number of nurses, physicians, dentists and other health For the current fiscal year, FY 2012, the State Board of professionals being educated at Missouri’s public colleges Total 117,304 Nursing has approved the following grants: and universities.