Action Alert!
Contact the Board of Nursing to tell them that you support their authority to Issue Emergency Orders in Emergency Situations
Dear Nurse Colleague,
The Wisconsin State Board of Nursing is holding a virtual public hearing on Thursday, December 10, 2020 beginning at 8:00 am. The hearing addresses proposed rule, CR-069, which revises the Administrative Code for Nurses chs. N 1 to 8, to allow for the issuing of emergency orders due to an emergency situation. Emergency situations include public health crisis, natural disaster, critical nursing workforce shortage, or similar emergency circumstances. The rules reflect the nursing related administrative rules that were suspended by Governor Evers as part of his response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The Proposed Emergency Order Waivers address the following Administrative Rules:
- Schools of Nursing: Utilize simulation beyond the current 50 percent for meeting clinical learning requirements.
- Temporary Permits: New graduates of a nursing program may waive the requirement for the transcript, direct RN supervision, permit renewal beyond 6 months.
- Unlicensed RNs: Allows the requirement for enrolling in a refresher course if out of the workforce for more than 5 years.
- Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers (APNP): Grants a temporary waiver of the requirement under s. N 8.10 (2) and (7) that an advanced practice nurse prescriber work in a collaborative relationship with at least one physician or dentist and document that relationship.
Why this is good for nursing and patients
Allowing the Board of Nursing to have the authority to issue an Emergency Order related to Wisconsin nursing workforce will expedite the response process to the emergency situation will result in the following:
- Nursing student’s timeline for graduation will remain on track due to increasing the amount of simulation as part of their clinical learning.
- Increasing the supply of nurses through the hiring of new nursing graduates is important. Delays in trying to sit for the NCLEX should not be a deterrent during an emergency situation.
- Allowing nurses who have been out of the workforce for more than 5 years will also contribute to the supply of nurses. Waiving the requirement to complete a nursing refresher course makes sense.
- Removing the collaboration requirement for the Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber (APNP) will increase patient access to care as more APNPs from other states or other settings will be available to deliver care and resolve the problem of finding a collaborating physician.
Timeline for Input
The Board of Nursing will accept your input before the end of the December 10, 2020 Board of Nursing Public Hearing. Please contact the Board of Nursing today to let them know you support their authority to issue emergency orders in emergency situations. Please explain how this will support patient access to nursing care using one or all of the bulleted items above.
I thank you in advance for your contacting the Board of Nursing! This is a great opportunity for you and your colleagues to demonstrate participation in issues related to your license and practice. Guidelines for developing your letter and talking points are below.
Sample talking points for your letter to the Board of Nursing
- Salutation: Dear Chairperson Kallio and Members of the Wisconsin Board of Nursing,
- Tell them who you are “I am a registered nurse” or I am an “APNP”
- Tell them what you do as a nurse.
- Tell them that you support CR-069 which will give the Board of Nursing the authority to issue emergency orders in response to emergency situations.
- Explain how changing the Administrative Rules found in chapters N1, N2 and N8 will expedite patient’s having access to nursing care.
- The proposed rule changes will result in important and timely waivers related to the following (List all or pick one or two in the list)
- Schools of Nursing will be able to utilize simulation beyond the current 50 percent for meeting clinical learning requirements.
- Temporary Permits will be issued for new graduates of a nursing program even though there are delays in transcript submission, practice without direct RN supervision, and allow temporary permit renewal beyond 6 months.
- Unlicensed RNs wanting to enter the workforce but have been out of the workforce for more than 5 years will not be required to complete a refresher course.
- Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers will be granted a temporary waiver of the requirement under s. N 8.10 (2) and (7) that an advanced practice nurse prescriber work in a collaborative relationship with at least one physician.
Share any personal experience as to how you have benefited from the current suspended orders listed above.
Thank them for taking on this initiatives it is important to nursing care of patient nursing care and the nursing workforce.
SAMPLE Letter to be cut and pasted into your message to the Board of Nursing (add information as described above)
Dear Chairperson Kallio and Members of the Wisconsin Board of Nursing,
I am a registered nurse and I want to express my support for CR-069 which will give the Board of Nursing the authority to issue emergency orders in response to emergency situations. I believe that changing the Administrative Rules found in chapters N1, N2 and N8 will expedite patient’s having access to nursing care. These proposed rule changes will result important and timely waivers related to the following:
- Schools of Nursing will be able to utilize simulation beyond the current 50 percent for meeting clinical learning requirements.
- Temporary Permits will be issued for new graduates of a nursing program even though there transcript submission delays, practice without direct RN supervision, and permit renewal beyond 6 months.
- Unlicensed or RNs wanting to enter the workforce but have been out of the workforce for more than 5 years will not be required to complete a refresher course.
- Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers will be granted a temporary waiver of the requirement under s. N 8.10 (2) and (7) that an advanced practice nurse prescriber work in a collaborative relationship with at least one physician.
I thank you for your initiative, this will have a positive impact nursing care of patients and the nursing workforce.
Sincerely,
Sign your name and credentials
Email your letter to: DSPSAdminRules@wisconsin.gov
To join the Board of Nursing Virtual Meeting go to:
Computer Connection (Includes Computer Connection with Phone Audio):
Click Link to Join: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/619118029
Access Code: 619-118-029
Select Audio options when you join the meeting
Phone Only Connection:
Phone: (224) 501-3412
Access Code: 619-118-029