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Why Is It Important To Join The National NP Association (AANP)

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1. Why is it important to join the national NP association, AANP, and how does it benefit the APN? Discuss items such as CEUs and protection of NP practice. The AANP advocates for advanced practice nurses at both the state and federal level. This organization works diligently to advance and protect the ability and right of all nurses to practice at the full scope of their educational background, while also working to prevent any loss of independence. Additionally, educational opportunities are provided through membership services, guidance on research projects, access to mentoring relationships, and a wealth of resources and support are available through networking with peers (Mason, 2013). Currently there are over 150 different CEU activities …show more content…

The AANP is actively involved in a multitude of federal and state level legislative action campaigns. A quick perusal of the AANP website reveals the following Federal issues of prominence (AANP, 2016) -
• S.2279/H.R. 4134, the Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act (allowing NP’s full practice authority within the VHA system)
• S. 2259, the ACO Assignment Improvement Act of 2015 (would allow Medicare beneficiaries who receive primary care from NP’s to join Accountable Care Organizations)
• H.R. 1247/S.297, the Improving Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2015 (would allow NP’s full practice authority within the VHA system)
• Support of NP’s ability to prescribe medication-assisted therapies (MATs), such as buprenorphine for those in drug withdrawal
• Support of NP’s ability to certify Home Health orders for patients under their care
• Support of NP’s ability to order therapeutic shoes for diabetic …show more content…

The afore= mentioned issues being addressed through legal channels by the AANP are barriers to effective and efficient practice, the type of barriers that were to be eliminated by the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Dunphy, Winland-Brown, Porter, & Thomas, 2015). Only twenty-two states have allowed full practice authority, which is less than half of the nation. It is imperative that every advance practice nurse has a voice that is heard in their state and the nation, this is the message of the AANP (Hain & Fleck,

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