Florida Legislative Policy - Research Paper Example

?To, {The Local Legislator}, {Office Address}, Florida. Revision of policy on nurses’ power to prescribe drugs Respected Sir/Madam, I would like to bring to your notice the policy restriction on nurses from prescribing certain drugs to patients. Drugs not allowed for prescription to nurses include certain painkillers and controlled substances. (Quintero & Sentinel, 2009) This practice necessitates the involvement of physicians to prescribe these controlled drugs. The absence of physicians from certain clinics especially in rural areas poses unique challenges. Patients suffer as they wait for doctors to prescribe these controlled drugs. Moreover, health care bills increase significantly too. The discussion below explores this dilemma in greater detail. Hopefully you will support our side of the argument once you are done with this letter. At this point in time, the only states where nurses are not allowed to prescribe controlled substance based drugs are Florida and Alabama. Similarly, Florida and Kentucky are the only two states where a physician’s assistant is not allowed to prescribe controlled substance based drugs. All other states allow professionally trained and experienced nurses to prescribe controlled substances based drugs. (Ford, 2011) The primary reason cited for this practice is the need to control the prescription of controlled substances. Opponents argue that allowing the 13,000 nurses practitioners in Florida to prescribe controlled substances drugs would make drug abuse worse. (Associated Press, 2009) However, opponents assume that nurse practitioners in Florida are all geared up to abuse their power to prescribe controlled substance drugs if they are allowed to do it. Given the fact that nurses in Florida contribute positively to medical health care, such an assumption is highly unreasonable. Physicians as well as nurses are just as likely to abuse such powers and expecting that one group would abuse their power more than the other makes little sense. Another argument against allowing nurses contends that nurses are not well trained enough to dispense controlled substances. However, nurses are deemed well trained enough to prescribe all other kinds of medicine. If nurses are well qualified enough to handle all other kinds of medication, it seems unreasonable to assume that nurses cannot prescribe controlled substance based drugs. If nurses around the nation can prescribe controlled substance based drugs without a hiccup then so can nurses registered in Florida because they are just as well trained. Ironically the bill to allow nurses to prescribe controlled substance based drugs has not been able to make it through the legislature for the last decade and a half despite attempts to the contrary. (Aertker, 2011) Some institutions in Florida are already taking a giant stride and are supporting the nurses’ cause such as Lee Memorial Health System. Such a restrictive policy for nurses affects the medical care profession significantly. The need to have a certified physician at hand at all times to get a controlled substance prescription is both wasteful and tends to stretch already scant resources. Moreover, the need to consult a physician every single time lowers the morale of nurses. There has been talk of reduced enrolment in the nursing profession due to this restriction. Florida is already deficient in nursing staff and this status quo is not favourable at all. Nursing practitioners are commonly the only health care professionals who are taking care of patients in rural areas in Florida. Other areas that are deficient in physicians are also looked after by nurse practitioners. People without insurance also frequently visit free clinics that are staffed more or less exclusively by nurses. Susan Lynch a nurse working at clinics in Deland and Sanford relates that when she is seeing patients, often patients looking for common medicine such as cough syrup with codeine or refills for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) medicine are faced with two choices: visiting a hospital emergency room or waiting for another day when the doctor is present. (Associated Press, 2009) Another aspect is the future of physician shortages. It is estimated that by 2014 another 50 million Americans will be insured. This will necessitate treatment from doctors for another 50 million individuals. If physicians are the only health care professionals allowed to prescribe controlled substances, then the current system will be stretched to its limits. (Aertker, 2011) A report by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability has indicated that the greatest obstacle to the enlistment of new individuals to the nursing profession is limited by the restriction on nurses from prescribing controlled substances. (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, 2007) The report further indicates a shortage of nursing staff that may worsen in the future due to the reason listed above. The implications of this policy have considerable impacts on the costs of healthcare as well. For one thing, the nurse practitioners who are available in rural areas are sitting ducks if someone with some problem like ADD shows up. The best they can do is to refer such patients to a doctor. Visits to a doctor when the issue could have been resolved by a trained and experienced nurse only increases costs for patients. Patient convenience and clinic usefulness also suffer as a consequence. (Aertker, 2011) In facilities where physicians are present, the requirement for nurses to seek a physician’s approval for every prescription of controlled substances is highly wasteful. A recent doctoral study by Stefanie Coffey of 2,000 advanced practice nurses offers some valuable insight. Stefanie’s study revealed that nurses wasted eight hours per week to get controlled substance prescription approved from physicians. She relates that if each nurse could see two patients per hour, the wasted eight hours would mean sixteen patients without healthcare. (Associated Press, 2009) Florida has some 13,206 registered advanced nurse practitioners. (Quintero & Sentinel, 2009) Multiplying the sixteen untreated patients with 13,206 advanced nurse practitioners reveals 2,11,296 patients who could be dealt each week! The impact on healthcare resources is obvious. Florida produced 5,430 graduate nurses in 2005. However, the Agency for Workforce Innovation estimated that Florida would require some 7,440 nurses on average each year between 2006 and 2014. This puts the healthcare system at around 2,000 nurses short each year. Naturally, these nurses would have to be hired from out of state and out of nation resources. The nationwide competition for nurses would mean that Florida would have to pay higher for these deficient nurses. (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, 2007) This would represent a significant cost addition to the existing healthcare framework. In these circumstances, it is essential that the policy on prescription of controlled substances be revised. The power to prescribe controlled substances based drugs ought to be given to advanced nurses practitioners. You can play a very positive role being a member of the legislature by helping this bill’s development and passing. The need for a revision to this policy is apparent given the various arguments listed above. I hope that this letter has helped you to construct a critical perspective as per this issue. A bibliography has been attached for your reference. Furthermore I hope that the evidence and arguments presented convince you to endorse our side of the story. I am available at your disposal at all time if you need any further clarifications. Yours truly, {Your Name}, 16th July 2011. Bibliography Aertker, J. (2011, January 16). Collier County Advanced Practice Nurses at front of prescription power fight. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from Tampa Bay Advanced Practice Nurses Council: http://tbapnc.enpnetwork.com/nurse-practitioner-news/2376-collier-county-advanced-practice-nurses-at-front-of-prescription-power-fight Associated Press. (2009, March 4). Florida nurses fight for prescription authority. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from WSVN TV: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI114534 Ford, J. (2011, May 24). Despite Rallies and FTC Support, Florida NP Legislation Stalls. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from Nurse Practitioners and Physician's Assistants: http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/News/Front-Center/Despite-Rallies-and-FTC-Support-Florida-NP-Legislation-Stalls.aspx Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (2007). Florida Nurse Practice Act and Board of Nursing Rules Create No Unreasonable Barriers to Producing New Nurses. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. Quintero, F., & Sentinel, O. (2009, December 2). Registered nurse practitioners push for prescription power. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-12-02/health/os-nurse-practitioners-legislation-20091201_1_nurse-practitioners-prescription-power-nursing-work-force Read More