A bill that will allow nurse practitioners to sign death certificates just made it through NYS legislature. This is an AMAZING victory for NY NPs and their patients; delays in death certificates being signed cause incredible stress for families, especially when cultural practices require prompt burial.
A piece of federal legislation to pay attention to is S.227 - the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011. This would allow nurse practitioners to order home health care for their patients that need it. Right now when one of my patients requires extra assistance at home, I come up with the home health care plan. Then I need to ask one of my physician colleagues to sign the plan. This unnecessary step is a waste of their and my time, and creates a lot of confusion with the visiting nurses or home health aids need to contact me. The name that is on file as the ‘ordering provider’ is not the primary care provider for that patient.
For more information about this bill, check out http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-227
To send a message to your legislator that you support this bill, check out
