Introduction
It could be stated with certainty that legislative acts are one of the most important instruments that are used to improve the public health sector in general as well as the quality of care, patient safety, and the ability of nursing professionals to efficiently perform their tasks. The purpose of this paper is to review an active bill at the level of the Florida state in order to investigate its impact on the professional practice of nursing. The general CS/CS/HB 1337 bill by Health and Human Services Committee is chosen as the primary source for the analysis (“CS/CS/HB 1337: Nursing,” 2018). This paper will reflect on the major provisions of the bill, its key supporters, and identified key stakeholders, as well as the analysis of the bill’s influence on the Florida public health sector.
The Major Provisions of the Bill
First of all, it is essential to state that the bill under consideration is highly important for the healthcare system, as it implements direct changes in the current nursing practice of the state (“CS/CS/HB 1337: Nursing,” 2018). It is possible to summarize the essential outcome of the bill’s legislation in the following way: (1) it provides the definition of the term “advanced practice registered nurse,” which substitutes the use terms “advanced registered nurse practitioner” and “clinical nurse specialist;” (2) the bill provides particular application requirements for individuals who want to be licensed as advanced practice registered nurse; (3) the bill provides the Florida Board of Nursing with the authority to adopt rules (“CS/CS/HB 1337: Nursing,” 2018, para. 1).
It is apparent that the mentioned changes, legislated by this act, are highly important for the Florida state’s public health sector as they establish a more precise and efficient regulation instrument for licensing nurses, and they also facilitate the control over the quality of the nursing practice. For example, it is mentioned in the full text of the bill that there are several aspects that are essential for any person who wants to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse: “certification by an appropriate specialty board” and “graduation from a program leading to a master’s degree in a nursing clinical specialty area with preparation in specialized practitioner skills” (“CS/CS/HB 1337, Engrossed 1,” 2018, p. 5). Additionally, definitions of the responsibilities related to particular areas of concern of advanced practice registered nurses are provided in the bill along with regulations of the Board of Nursing’s authorities (“CS/CS/HB 1337, Engrossed 1,” 2018).
Background and Relevant History Related to the Legislation
It is also important to discuss the background of the bill’s legislation. It could be observed that the necessity for the legislation of such a bill was determined by the lack of proper control and regulation over the nursing practice in the Florida state (“CS/CS/HB 1337, Engrossed 1,” 2018). Another fact that supports the significance of the legislation is that the bill was supported by the voters unanimously, as in the third reading of the bill, it was finally legislated by Senate with 37 yeas and 0 nays (“CS/CS/HB 1337 (CS/SB 1594): Third reading,” 2018).
Key Supporters of the Bill
It is evident that key supporters of the bill are the members of the House of the Florida state and Senate as well as nurses. It is possible to observe that the legislation of this bill facilitates the compliance of the Florida state’s healthcare system with the federal standards of healthcare. As it was mentioned previously, the bill was voted unanimously, and thus it could be suggested that there are no opposers for this legislative act.
Positions of Key Stakeholders in the Bill
It is apparent that, due to the nature of the bill, it is largely concerned with the regulation of positions of the key stakeholders involved. It is evident that the primary stakeholders are nurses, as the majority of the bill’s provisions are concerned with the status of advanced practice registered nurses. Also, it is possible to mention that the Florida state’s Board of Nursing is another important stakeholder, as it is provided with the authority to regulate the further aspects of nursing practice on the state level.
The Impact of the Bill on the Nurses’ Ability to Provide Quality Care
The positive impact of the bill on the current situation in Florida’s public health sector could hardly be underestimated. As it was mentioned previously, the legislation of the bill implies that the Florida state healthcare system is consistent with the national standards of nursing practice. Also, it could be suggested that advanced practice registered nurses will be able to provide more high-quality care since their education and compliance with the requirements will be monitored precisely. Therefore, it would be easier to decrease the amount of insufficient and unprofessional care among nursing professionals in Florida.
Conclusion
In conclusion, one should state that the positive impact of the 1337 billon Florida’s healthcare system is evident. The state’s Board of Nursing is provided with sufficient authority to effectively regulate the nursing practice in the state. Overall, it should be concluded that the legislation of the bill is perceived as a significant positive change in the current healthcare system in Florida by key stakeholders involved.
References
CS/CS/HB 1337 (CS/SB 1594): Third reading. (2018). Web.
CS/CS/HB 1337, Engrossed 1. (2018). Web.
CS/CS/HB 1337: Nursing. (2018). Web.