Teresa Morris, Director, Advocacy & Government Relations

Greetings NOVA Members –

As I write this article, the Election has been called for Vice President Biden. The House remains controlled by the Democrats and the Senate is razor thin in favor of Republicans with a Georgia run-off to determine control in January. Final election results will change the dynamics of the 117^th Congress and among leadership roles within the Administration. I will have more on the congressional breakdown in the December NOVA News.

The current congress will convene in a lame duck session to wrap up priorities before ending the 116^th second and final session. One critical item that remains is funding to keep the government open and running until the new year. Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 11 in September. The CR basically takes the place of funding all 11 appropriations bills and is a “stop gap” to keep agencies running, meaning another CR or funding package has to be cleared before December 11.

In other news, the President signed into law several Veterans bills that look to combat suicide prevention and expand mental health services within VA. They included S. 785, the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement, Act, H.R.1812, Vet Center Eligibility Expansion Act, H.R. 2372, the Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act. Among the collective bill’s provisions  are creating a strategic plan for veterans transitioning from active duty, pilot programs that integrate alternative therapies, establishing a VA-DOD clinical provider treatment toolkit, improving care and services for women veterans, expanding access to Vet Centers, mandating GAO to assess suicide prevention and mental health services of non-VA entities who have entered into a MOU with VA, and increasing the mental health medical workforce.

It is worth noting that suicide prevention was the number one priority for the House and Senate VA Committees and VSO community this Congress. NOVA commented throughout the process on the bills.

NOVA’s thoughts on legislation can be found on our website at: https://www.vanurse.org/page/congressionalstatements

A list of the bills and all current VA Committee legislative activity can be found on the HVAC and SVAC websites at

https://veterans.house.gov/

https://www.veterans.senate.gov/

I would like to take the time to thank all of the NOVA Legislative committee members who helped pave the way for our successful advocacy this year.   Keep an eye out for our year-end report which will provide all NOVA’s legislative and advocacy for the 116^th Congress--Its was a remarkably busy and active year!

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask any NOVA member who is interested in advocacy and policy to consider joining the NOVA Legislative Committee. A call for new members will be going out soon with more information and details about the committee. We are always looking for individuals to help develop our annual legislative agenda and priority goals and to educate and mobilize other members on the best way to advocate for the VA Nursing community.

Stay Tuned!

Dear APRN Colleagues,

Happy Veterans Day! Today is time to remember that our freedom isn’t guaranteed. Our freedoms are protected by the men and women in our Armed Services. To those who have served, we thank you! We are privileged to care for our Nation’s heroes each and every day. Thank you to all for the outstanding care you provide to our Veteran patients, especially during the COVID pandemic. This has been a very challenging year for all of us.

In honor of Florence Nightingale's 200th birthday, the World Health Organization has chosen 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. The Office of Nursing Service (ONS) and the National Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Council have selected November as APRN month. In addition to APRN month, the VA also celebrates National Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week this week, November 8-14, 2020!

The National APRN Council is launching APRN E-Cards as a way to thank your colleagues for their contributions to APRN practice and Veteran care. Special thanks to Carlene Ferrier, MPH, RN, NEA-BC, Nurse Recruiter for spearheading this endeavor. She contacted me in late July and felt this would be a wonderful way to acknowledge our colleagues during “NP Week,” as was done during “Nurses Week” when over 10,000 E-cards were exchanged. We have the opportunity to include all APRNs and highlight their contributions as we celebrate the Year of the Nurse and Midwife during the month of November. Take this opportunity to acknowledge your APRN colleagues!

Please access the E- Cards using a VA device at https://leaf.va.gov/NATIONAL/10A1/aprn/report.php?a=Main_Page

Celebrating National Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week

November 8–14, 2020

NP Week is a time to celebrate the professional accomplishments and raise awareness of the extraordinary contributions NPs make to the health and well-being for millions of Americans including our Nation’s Veterans. This week affords the us the opportunity to reflect upon the important role NPs play in today’s healthcare environment and the critical roles NPs will play in the future. NOVA wishes to acknowledge and thank the dedicated 6,625 NPs who tirelessly care for our Nation’s heroes.

As the VA continues to make great strides in improving access to healthcare, NPs have long been on the forefront, providing access to care through face-to-face appointments and quickly adapting to virtual platforms in order to connect with their patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant and positive advancements in ensuring that 100% of the VHA Healthcare Systems have updated their medical staff bylaws to grant NPs “full practice authority” has demonstrated the critical role NPs play throughout the VA Healthcare system, and has extended VA’s ability to provide the timely and quality care our Veterans expect and deserve! Happy NP Week!

Ordering Home Health

Per my Legislative Update, which was included in the September/October APRN Newsletter, I reported the following information. My last bullet point stated that the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) was compiling a list of states that allow NPs to order home health. CLICK HERE to access the list. I have recently received this information from AANP and have attached the list to this email. Please contact me if you have additional questions.

According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)2 Certification for Payment of Medicare Home Health Services: As required under section 3708 of the CARES Act, CMS is allowing nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants to certify the need for home health services as defined under 42CFR § 424.507(b)(1) payment requirements for covered Part A or Part B home health services.

• Plans of Care and Certifying/Recertifying Patient Eligibility: In addition to a physician, section 3708 of the CARES Act allows a Medicare-eligible home health patient to be under the care of a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or a physician assistant who is working in accordance with State law. These physicians/practitioners can: (1) order home health services; (2) establish and periodically review a plan of care for home health services (e.g., sign the plan of care), (3) certify and re-certify that the patient is eligible for Medicare home health services. These changes, effective March 1, 2020, provide the flexibility needed for more timely initiation of services for home health patients, while allowing providers and patients to practice social distancing. Specifically, for Medicare, these changes are effective for Medicare claims with a “claim through date” on or after March 1, 2020.
• Although the CARES Act allows NPs, CNSs and PAs to certify and recertify home health orders, the law defers to the state of licensure, therefore, the ability to authorize home health orders falls under the scope of state practice laws.
• APRNs ordering home health are encouraged to check with their state Board of Nursing if unsure of state statue.
• Currently, AANP reports that they have seen positive movement on the state level with 5 states permanently updating their regulations, 10 states in the process of permanently updating their regulations, and 13 other states having taken temporary action during the COVID pandemic. A list of states is being compiled and will soon be available.

Best Regards,

Penny Kaye Jensen                                           

Earn Nursing CE Credits at NOVA’S 40^th Annual Virtual Meeting

With just weeks to go before NOVA’s 40^th Annual Virtual Meeting, NOVA’s Program Planning Committee has been working tirelessly to deliver a program that aligns with this year’s theme of Celebrating NOVA’s Legacy and Promise of NOVA’s Future, and focuses on the needs of the nurse in honor of 2020 being named the International Year of the Nurse. Continuing education for attendees is at the forefront of the committee’s efforts.

The role of continuing education in the legacy and future of nursing is vital; not only does it help nurses grow their skills and advance nursing practice, it helps nurses stay on top of trends, innovations, and best practices in the rapidly-evolving healthcare industry. Skill and knowledge advancement in nursing is an acknowledgement and celebration of the critical role of the nurse, so focusing NOVA’s meeting on education was a natural choice.

“Everything that we've been doing this year has been centered around the nurse,” Natascha Williams, NOVA’s meeting manager. “These continuing education courses that we're offering were all developed to help nurses advance in their professional development.”

Key Sessions to Note

Williams anticipates that the discussion, “Leading the VA During the COVID-19 Crisis,” by Dr. Richard Stone, VHA Executive in Charge of the Veterans Health Administration, will be a pivotal session for attendees. Dr. Stone oversees the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans with a budget of around $68 billion. His interview will showcase what the VA has been doing for Veterans and VA personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the “Office of Nursing Services (ONS) Town Hall: 2020 Year of the Nurse and Beyond” featuring Beth Taylor, DHA, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer for the ONS, will provide some valuable insight for NOVA nurses. Taylor provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the ONS as well as advising the Under Secretary for Health on nursing issues that could impact more than 98,000 VA nursing personnel nationwide.

While both sessions won’t be livestreamed, four NOVA members will be asking questions on behalf of NOVA members.

Additional Sessions

The program features a variety of sessions covering practical topics for nurses: Kimberly Bayless, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC will lead a session about developing a transitional pain program to help Veterans reduce their dependence on opioids. Elisabeth Mack, BSN, RN, MBA, will discuss using traditional medicine and cannabis as a treatment for Veterans. Review the full program for other sessions and continuing education opportunities.

After the conference, attendees will receive an evaluation and an option to earn additional free CEs. Once complete, attendees will receive  20+ CEs!