Kay Argroves, a nurse anesthetist from Madison, has a PhD in nursing. In many other states, their advanced education and training would come with an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license. Not in Georgia.
It is one of the few states that does not offer a separate license for nurses with a Masters level or beyond.
“I want to practice in a state that recognizes my skills and education,” said Argroves, who volunteers on the AARP Georgia Executive Board. “With the status of a separate license, we can show caregivers that we value the sacrifices they have made in patient care.”
The Georgia General Assembly, which meets on January 10, is considering billing to give APRNs a separate license.
The more than 17,800 professionals nationwide who would be covered by the law are licensed as Registered Nurses (RNs) and practice as certified midwives, nurses, anesthetists or clinical nurses, including those in psychiatric / mental health.
AARP Georgia supports the legislation as it would give APRNs greater authority to directly care for patients and encourage more of them to practice in the state, especially in areas where health care providers are in short supply.
In other states, APRNs can prescribe common medications, such as: B. for blood pressure or diabetes, which reduces the waiting time for a doctor.
“We have a shortage of doctors that creates health problems, especially in rural areas,” said Nancy Pitra, advocacy director of AARP Georgia.
The bill also includes a provision that would allow APRNs and medical assistants to order parking permits for people with disabilities. Currently they can fill out the forms but not officially sign them.
CARE ACT on the agenda
With the help of other stakeholders, AARP Georgia also plans to get state lawmakers to pass the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act to assist caregivers after their loved ones get home from the hospital.
The nearly 1.3 million caregivers in Georgia are increasingly expected to undertake complex medical and nursing tasks that they may not feel ready for.
The CARE Act requires hospitals to involve these nurses in discharge planning and to inform them of the nature of the medical care.
Efforts to pass a similar law six years ago have failed, but Pitra sees better opportunities this year due to the demands the coronavirus pandemic is placing on family carers.
The CARE Act has been enacted and is either in effect or soon to be in force in at least 40 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
“In other states, the CARE act has helped people stay at home and provide better care for family carers,” says Pitra.
One recently AARP Institute for Public Policy Report shows states that have passed CARE have seen many benefits for patients, carers, and the hospitals themselves. This includes more satisfaction and trust in the case of care transitions, fewer unnecessary re-hospital stays and improved treatment outcomes.
Ann Hardie is a writer and lives in Atlanta.
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