REGULATORY COOPERATION Working with the Board of Nursing to Quickly Respond in a Crisis
TNA's relationship with the BON emphasizes a crucial component of successful nursing practice—mutual support among the entire nursing community. TO SLOW THE SPREAD of COVID-19 in the state, our elected leaders have made several decisions that directly affect nurses. Throughout this uncertain time, Texas Nurses Association (TNA) has been hard at work advocating for nurses, providing input on statewide task forces, and working closely with a number of organizations, including the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). Together, we’ve made sure nurses are safeguarded and have the information they need to work effectively. TNA and the BON have collaborated and partnered together for many years. This longstanding relationship helps protect Texas nurses while prioritizing a shared goal of patient safety. As the voice for nurses in Texas, TNA listens to nurse concerns and represents them at the state level, for instance, by sharing the need for PPE with state lawmakers. As a regulatory body, the BON primarily protects the welfare of Texans by ensuring licensed nurses practice safely. While we offer different perspectives, our strong working relationship helps TNA advocate for nurses. Since the state has prioritized the fight against COVID-19, TNA and the BON continue to collaborate to educate nurses. When nurses informed TNA about having to work without PPE, TNA worked with the BON to confirm our shared understanding of the nurse’s duty to the patient by reviewing their position statement. When Gover-
nor Greg Abbott announced several waivers related to nursing licensure and education, the BON worked with TNA to confirm details and provide guidance for nurses.
Since the state has prioritized the fight against COVID-19, TNA and the BON continue to collaborate to educate nurses. These waivers include: Temporarily suspending the national certification examination requirement for new APRN graduates to allow them to work under direct supervision without prescriptive authority;
Waived regulations allowing APRNs to reactivate inactive licenses;
Waived regulations allowing LVNs, RNS, and APRNs a 6-month grace period for licensure renewal;
Waived regulations that limited the APRN’s ability to issue prescriptions for controlled substances for chronic pain via telemedicine if the delegating physicians agree to permit them to issue these refills via telemedicine;
T E X A S N U R S I N G M AGA Z I N E | I S S U E 2 , 2 0 2 0
Fast-tracking the temporary licensing of out-of-state nurses and other license types to assist in Texas’ response to COVID-19;
PAGE 10
Allowing nurses with inactive licenses or retired licenses to reactivate their licenses;
Allowing temporary permit extensions to practice for graduate nurses and graduate vocational nurses who have yet to take their licensure exam; and
Allowing nursing students in their final year of nursing school to meet their clinical objectives by exceeding the 50% limit on simulated experiences.
Additionally, TNA, the Texas Organization of Nurse Leaders, and the BON issued a joint statement in March acknowledging challenges in the current work environment and thanking nurses for their steadfast dedication to the profession. Constantly changing protocols and policies create fear, anxiety, and frustration as nurses struggle to understand the rationale and scientific evidence behind unfamiliar practices. Consistent and clear vertical and horizontal communication plays a crucial role in supporting nurses as they do their jobs during this crisis. Our relationship with the BON also highlights a crucial component of successful nursing practice: mutual support among the entire nursing community. Nurses work best when they support each other. And advocacy is best served when there are many voices aligned with one consistent message. Our goal will always be to continue to carry the voice of nursing forward. i
