Note from Your VCNP President
I hope you were able to find some time to relax and recharge over the Memorial Day weekend. May is Mental Health Awareness month, and this year more than ever, it’s important that we recognize the importance of mental wellness. Below are a few resources, some specific for healthcare workers, that may be helpful as we continue working through this pandemic.
ImmunizeVA
VCNP is supporting ImmunizeVA, a new statewide coalition of immunization stakeholders representing medical, public health and nonprofit professionals as well as parents and community members. If you work in pediatrics or primary care and are interested in serving on the steering committee or in a leadership capacity for this organization, please contact Kim Bednar, VCNP Government Relations Chair.
The coalition is hosting a webinar this week about adult vaccinations.
The coalition’s workgroups are hosting webinars to share more details.
Coalition membership is free and open to anyone so please sign up if you’re interested. VCNP will continue to keep our membership updated on important coalition activities as well.
COVID primary care surveys
For the last 11 weeks, you have been receiving a weekly survey to better understand response and capacity of U.S. primary care practices to COVID-19. These brief surveys take less than three minutes to complete and ask questions related to different aspects of the pandemic. Please continue responding to these surveys, and feel free to use all data and reports with attribution to the Larry A Green Center. Survey links and data are sent to VCNP members every Friday.
Autonomous practice licensure & Executive Order 57
Executive Order 57 allows NPs with two or more years of clinical experience to practice without a collaborating agreement during the state of emergency, which is currently set to expire on June 10. This order is temporary and does not reduce the hours required and need for permanent autonomous practice licensure. If you meet the requirements, please apply to eliminate future practice barriers.
If you have received your license, we want to hear from you! Please share your photo and 1-2 sentences about why you applied for use in future VCNP communications.
 
If you have been able to practice autonomously because of the executive order’s temporary changes, please let us know how this has changed your ability to practice and increase access to care.
Photos wanted
2020 is the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and May is National Nurses Month. We want to share photos of our members at work, with colleagues, or volunteering in the community. If there are other people in your photo, please confirm that you can share their image, and identify who is in the photo. Please do not send photos that include patients.
VCNP on social media
Be sure to follow VCNP on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
As your practice provides care during Phase 1 and into Phase 2, please let us know how VCNP can support you. We know these are challenging times, and we want to be a resource for you. Thank you for your continued dedication to your patients and our profession.
Becky Compton, DNP, RN, FNP-BC
President, VCNP Board of Directors