A Note from Your VCNP President
VCNP kicked off a social media advertising campaign this week to collect more information about NP-owned practices and autonomous practice licensure in Virginia. Please watch your Facebook and Instagram feeds for our ads, respond to our brief survey and encourage your NP friends and colleagues to do the same.
Graduation time
Congratulations to these NPs on their graduations this spring!
  • Layla Arkilic, JD, BSN, RN (UVA’s adult-gerontology acute care NP program)
  • Chantika Ashe, DNP, FNP-C (South University’s DNP program)
  • Beatrice Brown, DNP, FNP-BC (ODU’s DNP program)
  • Victoria Ferguson, MSN, FNP-C (ODU’s MSN-FNP program)
  • Kimberly Jimenez, MSN, RN (ODU’s FNP program)
  • Lissette Libby, MSN, RN (GWU’s FNP program)
  • Renee Cundiff Nauful, FNP, PMHNP (Wilkes University’s DNP program),
  • Vangel Orencia Quilon, DNP, FNP-C (ODU’s DNP program)
  • Adrienne Reddick, DNP, FNP-BC (ODU’s DNP program)
  • Rachael Rhodes, DNP, FNP-BC (ODU’s DNP program)
  • Jill Elizabeth Richmond, BSN, RN, MSN-FNP (JMU’s FNP program)
  • Larissa Laso Rodriguez, DNP, APRN, AG-ACNP-BC, CCRN-CSC (UVA’s DNP program)
  • Christie Stallter, DNP, FNP-BC, MS, MLS (ASCP) (ODU’s DNP program)
  • Daniel Terrell, MSN, RN, FNP-BC (GWU’s DNP program)
If you’re graduating from an NP or DNP program this spring, send us your name, credentials and program you’re graduating from so we can recognize you in future VCNP communications. Don’t forget to send a photo if you have one. Contact alissa@commonwealth-pr.com.
VDH updates
The Virginia Department of Health recently provided updates on the following topics –
  • Updated CDC Guidance for fully vaccinated people
  • Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 authorized and recommended for 12-15 year olds
  • Importance of not missing COVID-19 vaccination opportunities
  • Importance of second dose administration of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines
  • Upcoming webinar with a pediatric COVID-19 vaccination expert panel
  • Importance of testing returning international travelers and encouraging quarantine
CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people
Last week the CDC released interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people. Recommendations include removing the need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, or local rules and regulations, including local businesses and workplaces. This guidance does not apply to healthcare settings, correctional facilities, or homeless shelters or anyone traveling on a train, bus or airplane.
Updated Virginia guidance
On May 15, Governor Northam issued an amendment to Executive Order 72 with updated guidance for businesses including restaurants, personal care businesses, fitness centers, entertainment venues and summer camps.
 
At this time, Governor Northam has lifted Virginia’s mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals except in healthcare settings, schools, public transportation and congregate settings. Businesses retain the right to require mask usage for staff and customers. People who are unvaccinated or not fully-vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear masks in all settings.
 
Governor Northam will lift capacity and social distancing restrictions beginning May 28. Virginia’s state of emergency will remain in place at least through June 30 to provide flexibility for local government and support ongoing COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Because current Virginia law does not allow individuals to wear masks when a state of emergency is not in effect, the Governor is examining options to ensure individuals have the option to wear masks after that date. 
CMS working to improve vaccine confidence
Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule to ensure long-term care facilities and residential facilities serving clients with intellectual disabilities educate and offer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents, clients and staff. These requirements apply to long-term care (LTC) facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and align with existing requirements for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in LTC facilities.
 
The rule also requires LTC facilities to report weekly COVID-19 vaccination status data for residents and staff. The new vaccination reporting requirement will assist in monitoring uptake amongst residents and staff and will aid in identifying facilities that may be in need of additional resources and/or assistance to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expanded eligibility for autonomous practice begins July 1 
As of May 3, there were 1,216 NPs with autonomous practice licenses in Virginia. Beginning July 1, NPs with 2+ years of experience will be eligible to apply, thanks to the success of House Bill 1737. We are awaiting guidance from the Board of Nursing about the application process for NPs with 2+ years of experience but encourage you to begin collecting information for your application now. Information includes evidence of current NP license, evidence of current national professional certification, and evidence of clinical experience. If you have questions or need assistance with the application process, contact vcnp@vcnp.net.
 
Although autonomous practice may not benefit you in your current job, applying for this licensure shows your commitment to the NP profession. Legislators will be reviewing these numbers during this fall’s Joint Board Study and considering this information when evaluating future legislation including VCNP’s 2022 bill.
COVID vaccine resources
With information coming from various sources, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has assembled up-to-date resources and materials about the COVID vaccine. Visit
Virginia vaccine updates
As of May 18, more than 3.2 million Virginians had been fully vaccinated, and more than 4.1 million Virginians had received one dose. Every person 12 years and older in the United States is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, although only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has received emergency authorization for anyone under age 18.
 
Please encourage your patients, family and friends to use Virginia’s centralized system to preregister for free COVID-19 vaccines – online at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by phone at 877-VAX-INVA (829-4682). For additional information about vaccines in Virginia, visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/.
 
A new web site helps individuals locate clinics, pharmacies and other locations that are offering vaccines in their area. Visit www.vaccinefinder.org.
Psych NP scholarship recipients
Congratulations to Carol-Jo Osinski, FNP, PMHNP-BC (Shenandoah University), Gwen Davis, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC (George Mason University) and Jemina Liverman, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC (Maryville University) on earning post-master’s certificates as psychiatric-mental health NPs. They also received full scholarships from the Virginia Health Care Foundation for their studies.
 
Psych NPs are critical to ensuring Virginians have access to needed behavioral health services. Job openings abound, yet there are only 217 Psych NPs in the state. To learn more about the demand for psych NPs in Virginia and the Foundation’s scholarship, click the button below.
VCNP members in the news
VCNP Education Award winner and associate professor of nursing at Radford University Carillion, Judy Jenks, DNP, FNP-BC, was featured in a profile from Radford University. Dr. Jenks is president-elect of VCNP’s Blue Ridge Region.
Support VCNP’s PAC
To ensure Virginia’s legislators continue hearing our voice, please consider making a donation to VCNP’s PAC. You can make a recurring or one-time donation at www.vcnp.net/pac.
Share your autonomous practice stories
Have you applied for autonomous practice under the current 5-year experience requirement? Have you been able to practice under Executive Order 57’s temporary regulations? Do you plan to apply under the 2-year experience requirement? Do you own your own practice? We want to hear from you! Let us know how autonomous licensure is or will impact your practice and why you think it’s important for other NPs to apply. Send your stories – and a photo if you have one - to alissa@commonwealth-pr.com.
As Virginia begins to relax its COVID restrictions, I hope you’ll be able to enjoy time with family and friends and take some time for yourself. Please let me know how VCNP can continue to be a resource for you. Thank you for all you do!
Becky Compton, DNP, RN, FNP-BC
President, VCNP Board of Directors
vcnppresident@gmail.com