American Nurses Association Responds to Resolution 214 Amendment Presented by the American Medical Association
Silver Spring, MD – The following statement is attributable to Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), in response to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) amendment to Resolution 214 – a call for the creation of a national strategy to oppose legislative efforts that grant independent practice to non-physician practitioners through model legislation and national and state level campaigns.
“This divisive tactic will directly impact the nation’s advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and perpetuate the dangerous and erroneous narrative that APRNs are trying to “act” as physicians and are unqualified to provide timely, effective and efficient care. APRNs practice advanced nursing, not medicine, in which they regularly consult, collaborate and refer as necessary to ensure that the patient receives appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
For AMA to imply that APRNs are incapable of providing excellent care or that their care puts the patient at risk is blatantly dishonest. The future of healthcare calls on all healthcare professionals to work together as a team to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. This dated way of thinking does a disservice to the public and is in direct conflict with the evidenced-based recommendations advanced by the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) in its 2010 report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” which clearly stated that APRNS “should be allowed to practice to the full extent of their education and training.” Research clearly shows that nurses consistently deliver exceptional care with high patient satisfaction.
AMA’s Resolution 214 aims to perpetuate longstanding turf wars between some physicians and nurses, which foster unnecessary impediments to patients receiving quality health care services. ANA invites leaders of the AMA to work with us on measures that will increase access to care.”
ANA will continue to advocate strategies, legislation and regulations, such as the 2016 Department of Veterans Affairs Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Rule, that support APRNs and their proven ability to care for patients. ANA supports the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education that was agreed to in 2008. The four roles included within the APRN Consensus Model are Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNAs), and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
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The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.6 million registered nurses. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org.