VCNP and MSV representatives including (front row, from left) VCNP Associate Director Christy Jenkins, VCNP Deputy Executive Director Amy Sales, VCNP president Alysia Pack, MSV president-elect Dr. Joel Bundy, VCNP GR chair Valerie Wrobel, VCNP past president Olivia Newby and VCNP lobbyist Richard Grossman, and (back row) from left MSV representatives Chris Fleury, Scott Johnson and Drew Densmore met in May.

One of my goals as your president is to increase VCNP’s reach and impact by strengthening our relationships with allied health providers and community partners. It’s essential for our leadership and other stakeholders to find a firm and common ground to build upon these relationships as we all work to care for patients and support health care providers in Virginia. In May I was honored to join representatives from VCNP and MSV to discuss ways we can collaborate to support these goals.

As VCNP continues to build relationships with health providers and community partners, we especially want to create solid alliances with long-time and newer legislators. VCNP’s PAC allows us to support legislators who champion NP practice. Our PAC year ends June 30. Will you help us reach our $20,000 goal? These funds are essential as planning has already begun for next year’s legislative session. Please consider a one-time, additional or recurring donation.

Thanks for your support of VCNP and NPs in Virginia!

If you’re planning to attend AANP’s National Conference in Nashville this month, you’re invited to attend the Region 3 member reception on Wednesday, June 26 at 6 p.m. CST. There’s no cost to attend, but registration is required. Get details and reserve your spot today!

As of June 3, there were 3,409 NPs in Virginia with autonomous practice licensure. Thanks to HB 971, beginning July 1, more NPs will be eligible to apply. We’re excited about this legislation and the positive step forward for NPs.

Key points of the legislation are –

• NPs with 3+ years (5,400+ hours) of clinical experience can apply for autonomous practice licensure to practice without a practice agreement.

• NPs who lose access to a practice agreement with a physician may be authorized to practice under the management of a qualified NP who has had autonomous practice licensure in Virginia for at least three years and practices in the same category in which the NP is licensed and certified. These situations will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board of Nursing.

•  A qualified NP who has taken over a practice agreement can attest on an autonomous practice license application that an NP meets the requirements to practice without a practice agreement.

• The Department of Health Professions will collect data including number of applicants, year of each NP’s initial APRN license, geographic area, practice setting, patient population and any disciplinary actions against autonomous practice NPs.

We will share more details as we get them from the Board of Nursing in the coming weeks. To apply, visit this link. Note that applications must be received on or after July 1 to qualify under the new regulations. Applications received on June 30 or earlier must show 5+ years of experience.