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RINP Newsletter
- CO-chairpersons: Kathy Parker Knowlton, Marianne Hurley
- Treasurer: Mimi Poirier - Wolff
- Secretary: Diana Hobden
- Education Chair: Marianne Hurley
- Legislative Chair: Kathy Knowlton
- Public Relations: Cindy Buckley
- Newsletter: Susan St. Amour
Clinical IV Network provided information and education on the services they provide throughout the RI area. They are a comprehensive infusion homecare service. They provide services such as home phototherapy, pain management, total parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy and antibiotic therapy. Currently they are branching out into Mass and accept most health insurances. Questions- contact Lucia Campbell, director at 727-6100 ext 129.
The Nurse Practitioner Advocate Award was presented to Maureen Glynn who works with Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse. Maureen was instrumental in helping NP’s be recognized as provider for end of life care in hospice settings. The Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award was presented to Marianne Hurley for her dedication to NP’s and advocacy in promoting NP’s both at the state and federal level. She is our liaison with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Dee Bates, our e-mail guru, updated the e-mail list. If you would like to be part of our email, please send your address to: seabates@aol.com. Upcoming events, news and job postings are sent via e-mail. Dee also addressed the group about the lack of recognition for NP’s when they order PT, Cat scans or MRI’s through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Apparently it is related to reimbursement issues with NP’s. Dee and others will continue to address this problem and Maureen Glynn will help out also. Dee also had a written proposal for appropriate content for a pharmacy pearl program-this was approved by all attending and Kathy will address this with Pam McCue. Cindy Buckley our webmaster, spoke briefly about difficulty in updating the website. The American Academy of NP’s at their annual conference in Reno offered groups to move their websites to the academy’s site thereby making it easier to update. Information to follow as that progresses. Kathy Knowlton updated us on TDI forms-Currently NP’s are not allowed to sign TDI forms. She met with Dr Lee Arnold and his assistant at the Division of Labor and Training. Currently there has been an increase in the number of new TDI cases. After the November election, the division will gather a legislative commission to study this problem. We need to present to them a proposal to change the law from MD to healthcare provider before the rules and regulations can be changed. Pam McCue will help us get a seat on this committee. Kathy also let us know about vacancies on the RISNA board-secretary, nominating committee and nursing practice. The only qualifications are RISNA member and attend monthly meeting-anyone interested should contact Marie at RISNA. Also money has been set-aside in the budget for travel this year to conferences-if interested please contact Kathy for details. Marianne Hurley our co-chair person and liaison with the AANP, updated us on legislative issues. Medicaid recognizes us as primary care providers however we are having problems obtaining recognition in Medicaid managed care programs being implemented in most states. Your representatives need to be asked to cosponsor HR 3594. In addition the Senate is considering a Medicare package. NP’s are not reimbursed if an NP performs an initial nursing home exam and we cannot order home health and hospice care. It is important that you let your senators know of these problems. Also the senate passed the funding for nursing education, however we need to remind our representatives of the importance of funding NP educational programs. At the state level, NP’s are allowed to report abuse in long term care facilities. Also NP’s are to provide pain assessments on those in long term care facilities. Mimi Poirier, our education chair, solicited ideas for pharmacy pearls this spring. A session on management of CHF will be offered at Landmark Medical Center later this fall-date to be finalized. The 2nd Annual Women’s’ Care Day will be Friday March 21, 2003 at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln. The Department of Health will meet September 24 from 8-11am about the Women’s Cancer Screening Program-if anyone is interested or able to attend contact Marie at RISNA. Also, Laura Adams from the RI Quality Institute, seeking to improve health care in RI, along with Sheldon Whitehouse is setting up a pilot program to test out electronic Sure scripts in 9 RI sites. Look for more information on this at next meeting. Denise Fimbel-Coppa, co-coordinator of NP program at URI asked all who were interested to give her their name, place of employment, phone number and e-mail address if interested in having NP student. She is in particular need of Pediatric and OB/Women’s health sites. Next Meeting TBA. - Summer 2001 minutes | 
