CLEAR

Maine: expedited licensure for military nursing experience

A new law in effect in Maine will allow certain veterans with military nursing experience to take the exam for licensed practical nurse licensure without the prerequisite course work. Applicants must have been honorably discharged from active duty in the medical corps, passed the military’s basic nursing course, and spent at least 12 months providing bedside patient care.

Read more

Michigan: licensure applications remove felony question

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will no longer ask applicants to disclose prior felony convictions on occupational and construction code licensing applications. For those applying for licensure in healthcare professions, the question will still apply.

Read more

Kansas Nursing License Verification skill launched

The Kansas State Board of Nursing, in partnership with Information Network of Kansas and Kansas Information Consortium, has launched "Kansas Nursing," a Kansas nursing license verification skill for Amazon devices using a virtual assistant. Using Alexa, Amazon's interactive virtual assistant on an Amazon Dot, Echo or show device, users can look up a nursing license number, learn about CEU requirements for renewal, and access the agency's FAQs.

Read more

Report on National Practitioner Data Bank usage

A recent investigation published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that only 13 of 64 medical boards in the U.S. subscribe or perform searches through the federal National Practitioner Data Bank. The Data bank collects records of disciplinary actions against health professionals and is widely used by hospitals and insurers. Boards are federally required to report adverse actions against physicians to the Data Bank, which is updated every 24 hours. The Federation of State Medical Boards also offers a database of disciplinary data, but reporting to it is not required by federal law.

Read more

Rhode Island medical board makes changes to CME audit

The Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline has partnered with the American Academy of Family Physicians to allow AAFP members to be exempted from the biennial continuing medical education 9CME) audit for license renewals. This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration, intended to reduce the burden on physicians and also make the Board's audit process more efficient. AAFP will report to the Board physicians that are compliant with CME requirements.

Read more

ASWB considers mobility and endorsement

The Regulation and Standards Committee of the Association of Social Work Boards is proposing amendments to the Model Social Work Practice Act to replace the section on "License Transfer" with a section on "Qualifications for Licensure by Endorsement." Nine requirements previously listed for license transfer would be reduced to two requirements for licensure by endorsement: submitting the application and fees and showing proof of an active license in good standing in another state. Forty-eight U.S. jurisdictions already have a provision for licensure by endorsement in their statutes. The new proposed language will be vote on during ASWB's 2018 annual meeting.

Read more

UK: NHS managers support regulation

The Managers in Partnership union, which represents managers in the UK's National Health Service, conducted a survey of its members, showing that 91% of respondents agreed with the principle of professional regulation for NHS managers. The union is submitting the survey to the government review being conducted at the request of health minister Steve Barclay. A report from the review is expected later this year.

Read more

UK: new research on social media guidance in pharmacy

Research at the school of pharmacy at Keele University looked into pharmacy students' familiarity with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's and the General Pharmaceutical Council's guidance on the use of social media. The guidance of the RPS encourages professional social media use but also advises against making posts that clinicians have reservations about or getting into negative exchanges. A questionnaire was distributed to a sample of pharmacy students. The survey included questions about what online behaviors respondents felt were unprofessional. 83% of respondents indicated that they know what the potential consequences of inappropriate social media use are. 65% of respondents believe that pharmacy professional social media use should be regulated by the GPhC. 43% thought social media use should have no bearing on their pharmacy career, while 56% thought it should.

Read more

Australia: consultation on Health Practitioner Regulation National Law

The Australian health ministers have launched a consultation on proposed amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. The consultation paper addresses recommendations from the independent review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, such as examining the role of the National Scheme in supporting health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, streamlining the work of AHPRA and the National Boards, and making the National Scheme more efficient. The consultation paper is "intended to foster debate about whether the National Law remains up to date and fit for purpose, or whether further reforms are needed to deliver a stronger, fairer National Scheme and safe health workforce for all Australians."

Read more

UK: revalidation of nurses and midwives has positive impact

The Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK commissioned an independent evaluation of the revalidation program. About two-thirds of nurses and midwives have revalidated with the NMC, and the recent report shows positive attitudes towards the process and a feeling of improved quality of practice. The recent evaluation suggests that revalidation is "encouraging nurses and midwives to analyse the care they give by reflecting on their practice and seeking feedback from colleagues, patients and service users. Reflective practice in particular is viewed as a likely driving force behind changing attitudes and behaviours among nurses and midwives."

Read more