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The Zetterman File Hometown: Shickley, Neb. Bachelor’s Degree: Nebraska Wesleyan in biology Medical Degree: University of Nebraska Medical Center Residency: UNMC in internal medicine and gastroenterology; New Jersey Medical School in hepatology Fellowship: UNMC in gastroenterology and New Jersey Medical School in hepatology Title: Director of faculty mentorship programs at UNMC Family: wife, Emily Jones Zetterman; sons, David, Justin and Corey; six grandchildren Why I Joined MOMS: “The reason, more than anything else, is I felt it important to work in organized medicine to improve patient care.”
Scope of Practice Under Scrutiny
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HETHER NURSE PRACTITIONERS RECEIVE more
independence while providing patient care appears headed toward a showdown in the Nebraska Legislature. They’re seeking out support from state senators to remove the Integrated Practice Agreement (IPA) with physicians that is law according to the Nebraska Nurse Practitioner Practice Act. The intention, according to Kathy Hoebelheinrich, executive secretary of Nebraska Nurse Practitioners, is that it will allow NPs who cannot secure an agreement with a physician to be able to practice and to not be subject to physician fees.
16 Physicians Bulletin January/February 2014
This comes on the heels of a decision recently made in which the state’s Chief Medical Officer and Director of Nebraska’s Division of Public Health Joseph Acierno, M.D., came out in support of the current law where nurse practitioners have practice agreements with physicians in place. That’s despite the recommendations of two review panels earlier this year. Both endorsed autonomous practice privileges for nurse practitioners in Nebraska. A seven-person review committee initially recommended that nurse practitioners be allowed to practice without a