| My topic for health promotion paper is the restriction of opioids medication prescription for nurse practitioners in Florida. Opioids refer to a class of drugs which includes illegal drug heroin, legally available pain relievers such as oxycodone, codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, etc. and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. |
In March 2018, a bill limits the opioids prescriptions in Florida was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott as a way of combating the national opioid epidemic in the state (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018). The main focus of this topic is the restriction of nurse practitioners to prescribe opioids in Florida. Florida is one of the strictest states when it comes to nursing practitioners. The state restricts nurse practitioners from practicing independently. They can only practice under supervision or in the presence of a physician (Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, 2016). Initially, the state restricted nurse practitioners from prescribing controlled medications such as opioids with or without supervision or presence of a physician. However, on April 4, 2016, HB 423 was signed into law which allows nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances and medications under the existing supervision along with protocol requirements. This was subject to a formulary by a committee operating under the Board of Nursing (Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, 2016). The law took effect on January 1, 2017. If these changes continue, nurse practitioners may be allowed to prescribe controlled substances on their own.
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This topic and changing legislation can affect a wide range of the population. Opioids are a kind of pain medication that is given to patients after surgery, accident or treatment of chronic diseases such as arthritis. However, the main focus is on patients with chronic diseases. Most of the chronic diseases are very painful. To relieve the patients from this pain, they are usually given pain relievers, especially opioids (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018). |
The focus of this topic is changing legislation of prescribing opioids and other controlled substances by nurse practitioners in the state of Florida. However, my focus is specifically centered to Miami Dade County especially in outpatient and medical clinics that provide surgery, emergency accident treatments, treatment of chronic diseases and other procedural interventions that require the use of opioids to relieve patients’ pain (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018). The main focus goes to clinics and medical centers who provides treatments and interventions for chronic diseases. The legislation will save the patients from taking too long to access pain relievers.
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If the legislature of Florida continues lifting the restrictive laws on the practice of nurses and especially in prescribing controlled substances, nurse practitioners in the state will be in a position to operate on their own with minimal or no supervision. They will be able to utilize the knowledge that they have learned to provide quality patient care and help patients relieve pain using opioids and other pain relievers (Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, 2016). This will also lead to increased access to healthcare since some nurse practitioners will set up their own clinics.
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