Advocacy Agenda and Issues

Advocacy Agenda

The health policy and advocacy agenda provides an overview of legislative and regulatory areas of interest to NANN and NANNP members. The association monitors progress on these issues and keeps members informed about advocacy opportunities related to them.

Get Involved

Make your voice heard! Keep informed with our legislative alerts and take action on important issues with our calls to action.

Legislative Alerts: up-to-the-minute news and information about advocacy or health policy issues of interest to NANN members.

Calls to Action: time-sensitive opportunities for members to take action on a specific federal or state advocacy issue.

Top Issues

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prophylaxis

Implementation of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Consensus Model

NANN and NANNP support the adoption and implementation of the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation in every state. In line with the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report, NANN supports the role of nurse practitioners as primary-care case managers, the inclusion of APRNs under Medicaid fee-for-service plans, and the inclusion of all APRNs within the mix of providers under Medicaid managed care organizations.

Universal Newborn Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease

NANN and NANNP support the implementation of universal pulse oximetry screening of newborn infants for critical congenital heart disease.

Endocrine Disruptors in the NICU

NANN supports efforts to research and identify harmful endocrine disruptors and to protect infants from exposure to endocrine disruptors in the NICU.

Reimbursement for Donor Human Milk for Preterm Infants

NANN supports payment (by Medicaid and other insurers) for donor human breast milk to feed preterm infants in the NICU.

Nursing Workforce Issues and Appropriations

Along with Nursing Community and Americans for Nursing Shortage Relief (ANSR), NANN supports funding for the Nursing Workforce Development programs authorized under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act and funding for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR).

With the ANSR Alliance, NANN believes Congress must enact and fund a comprehensive set of initiatives to address the need for a sufficient nursing workforce to meet the demands of a highly diverse and aging population. An adequate infrastructure of well-qualified nurses is essential to successfully reform the healthcare system, improve the health status of the nation, and reduce healthcare costs.

ANSR 2011 Consensus Document

Title VIII Brochure
In July 2011, The Nursing Community released the brochure Nursing Workforce Development Programs. The brochure discusses the importance of Title VIII funding in supporting the education, practice, recruitment, and retention of nurses.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree as Requirement for Entry into Practice

NANN and NANNP do not currently support any requirement for all neonatal nurse practitioners to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree by any specified time in the future or for the DNP to become a requirement for entry into practice as a neonatal nurse practitioner. NANN and NANNP will oppose any legislation or regulation at the state or federal level that mandates such requirements.