Iowa Nurses Association
2018 Public Policy Priorities
The Iowa Nurses Association will monitor and support legislation
that safeguards the healthcare of Iowans and supports the practice of nursing
allowing nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and
licensure. INA will track and monitor legislation that impacts the healthcare
of children, older adults, and women; along with public health, nurse and
patient safety.
1. Accessing Mental Health Services and Supports that include:
· Offering a full array of
affordable, accessible treatment options including recovery-oriented systems
for prevention, early intervention and treatment.
· Increasing the number of mental
health treatment beds across the state.
· Increasing nurse providers
through loan repayment and educational funding.
· Supporting reimbursement parity
for mental health treatment.
2. Responding to the Opioid Substance Use Disorder Crisis by
providing:
· Funding treatment and
education/prevention measures.
· Expanding access to naloxone,
an opioid overdose reversal drug with Good Samaritan protections.
· Removing barriers that limit
non-physician providers to prescribe buprenorphine medication assisted
treatment.
· Increasing effective provider
use of prescription drug monitoring programs with across state border collaboration.
· Expanding drug take back and
needle safety programs.
· Creating pretrial diversion
options, including drug courts that assist those with substance abuse issues to
obtain treatment in lieu of incarceration.
3. Support Efforts to Strengthen the Nursing Workforce by:
· Recognizing and addressing the
impending nursing shortage.
· Increasing nursing workforce
funding and loan repayment.
· Increasing the number of
nursing faculty through loan repayment and educational
funding.
· Increasing the number of nurses with higher
education as recommended by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Future of
Nursing report.
· Maintaining full practice
authority for
Advanced Practice
Nurses.
4. Support Efforts to Ensure Quality Healthcare Services to
Medicaid Recipients:
· Support oversight of Medicaid contractors to
insure quality healthcare for this vulnerable
population.
· Advocate for mutually collaborative
relationships between Medicaid contractors and service providers that includes
responsiveness to patient needs, flexible services and fair reimbursement
practices.