Nurse practitioners (NPs) are engaged in many activities-providing direct patient care, educating the next generation of healthcare professionals, conducting research, and much more. This month, The Nurse Practitioner features the Eighteenth Annual Legislative Update, and especially salutes NPs that have spent countless hours in the offices and halls of elected officials advocating for autonomous NP practice. Susanne Phillips once again skillfully presents a comprehensive look at legislative issues, focusing on the practice authority that NPs possess and celebrating our strength as NPs unified at local, state, and national levels to effect changes that remove barriers to practice. Find out where your state and other states stand relative to the scope of practice for NPs. I echo Susanne's acknowledgment of and appreciation for the contribution from the State Boards of Nursing and professional organizations that provided the information for the report.
A Force to be Reckoned With
Changes for NP practice often occur at a slow and frustrating pace; but NPs possess purpose, position, passion, and perseverance. Less and less energy is spent justifying the existence or purpose of NPs. The high quality care provided by NPs has been well documented in many research studies. Consumers actively seek our services and express a preference for an NP provider. Nurse practitioners are positioned with ever growing visibility and authority; it is impossible to silence a voice of more than 100,000 tones. When these individual voices are collectively unified, no message can be completely ignored by concerned stakeholders. We love what we do and that passion is evident to anyone that interacts with us. The inner passion spills over to a wider spectrum-the well-being of our patients-whether directly through clinical roles or indirectly in other roles. Do we ever give up? We are like the Timex watch that "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" and the Energizer bunny that just keeps going and going. The perseverance of early NP leaders effected change and the continued efforts of current leaders further solidify NP scope of practice.
New for the New Year
Primary care practice is ever expanding with many NPs working in subspecialty areas. The Journal is committed to bringing articles of wide interest and applicability to readers. We are introducing three new columns in 2006: Acute Care Advisor, Rural Report, and Lessons from the Lab. Please join me in welcoming the column coordinators, respectively, Dr. Ruth Kleinpell, Dr. Carol Green-Hernandez, and Margaret Fitzgerald.
Also, to meet the needs of a broader audience, the annual National Conference for Nurse Practitioners will offer continuing education programs for both primary care NPs and acute care clinicians (NCNP-ACC). I invite you to attend this informative and stimulating meeting in Philadelphia, May 18-21, 2006.
The New Year undoubtedly holds many surprises; but more than likely, you will exert a certain degree of control over unforeseen events. I remember Rosa Parks and her simple act of resistance that spiraled into one of the most tumultuous and legally changing times in U.S. history. The result was a reversal in old laws and the adoption of new laws, even if only on paper. My intention is not to compare the civil rights movement with the NP movement, but reflection on motivating behaviors for change is empowering. Nurse practitioners have always represented a breed of risk-takers. Even though old challenges that continue to restrict NP practice are fewer, new ones invariably appear to take their place. Remember: purpose, position, passion, and perseverance. Let me hear from you, and a Happy New Year to all my friends and colleagues!!
Jamesetta A. Newland, PhD, APRN, BC, FNP, FAANP, FNAP
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