FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, January 15, 2021

Dear Interested Parties,

The Department of Health (Department), Division of Medical Quality Assurance is warning Florida health care practitioners about fraudulent calls that have been received by multiple licensees.

Contact:Alia Faraj-Johnson 850.212.8317

My fellow CRNAs,

As you may recall, last year during the 2019 Legislative Session, we had a disappointing end to our APRN Modernization Bill. However, after a spring of reflection, a summer of rejuvenation, and a fall of game planning, FANA entered the 2020 Florida Legislative Session with optimism and a renewed sense of energy and excitement!
Thanks to astute strategic decisions, amazing membership engagement, essential PAC investments, our partners' expertise and counsel, and immeasurable volunteer work, Florida APRNs—including more than 5,400 CRNAs—are on the cusp of the passage of a groundbreaking APRN Independent Practice bill.

Please read this recent opinion in the Naples Daily News about modernizing the view of our role as nurses.

FANA Bulletin:

Government Community Relations Committee Update
By: Mignon Nielsen, MSNA, CRNA, APRN
FANA Director and GRC Co-Chair

Non-Opioid Alternatives - HB 451 (Plakon) - PASSED

HB 451 requires the Department of Health to create and publish on its website an educational pamphlet regarding the use of non-opioid alternatives to treat pain.  Health care providers, except in the provision of emergency care, must inform patients of non-opioid alternatives for the treatment of pain before providing anesthesia or prescribing, ordering, dispensing or administering an opioid drug and document the non-opioid alternatives considered in the patient’s record.

Please keep our CRNA and SRNA colleagues from Florida State University in Panama City, FL in your prayers. The school and clinical sites have suffered major damage caused by Hurricane Michael. They are currently unable to attend classes and clinical rotations until further notice.  While all of the students are safe, many have suffered major losses to include their homes.

Please encourage your friends, families, colleagues, and students to donate to one of the two fundraising sites. Even a single dollar can help!

National Recovery Month

SOFA Membership
(The Society for Opioid Free Anesthesia)

FANA is pleased to announce a new member benefit for FANA members! FANA members now receive free membership to the Society of Opioid Free Anesthesia (SOFA), which is a $100 value! SOFA is a non-profit organization formed to research, promote & educate anesthesia professionals and the general public on opioid free pain management for patients.