It is significant to recognize this NP week this year because P.L. 16-34 was signed into law on March 23, 2009 by Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.
Now, NPs and other advanced practice nurses can be fully utilized by the health care system which means increasing access to quality health care that is cost-effective.
The bill was introduced by Sen. Joseph Mendiola on behalf of the Commonwealth Board of Nurse Examiners seeking to implement regulations consistent with national standard regulations.
This bill received overwhelming support from the Senate and the House before being signed into law.
Working over 10 years for the Department of Public Health, working as a nurse practitioner, and working with the board of nursing in the regulatory arena, I say with full confidence and without reserve that signing P.L. 16-34 into law was absolutely the right thing to do.
This bill is in line with health care reform and it promotes increasing access to quality health care focusing on promoting wellness and prevention services.
This bill is also in line with the recently introduced H.R. 3962 “Affordable Health Care for America Act” by the U.S. Congress, a comprehensive health care reform bill is promoting NPs as primary care providers.
The author is president of the CNMI Nursing Association.
