Are Nurses InConnecticut TalkingTo Their Legislators? - CNPAC Interview Guide and Recommendation Form

Sep 28, 2026

The document addresses how Connecticut nursing needs to more actively inform and engage state legislators, noting that many health care decisions affecting nursing practice are made with minimal input from the nursing community. It highlights CNPAC efforts to educate legislators and support candidate or policy decisions through nurse involvement. It also describes an “Interview Guide and Recommendation Form” to facilitate discussions between nurses and legislators, and references ongoing communications efforts via the Connecticut Nursing News (CNN).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Are Nurses in Connecticut Talking to Their Legislators?

CNPAC advocacy and nurse engagement

The interview guide and recommendation form

Connecticut Nursing News (CNN) coverage

Ad hoc committee and APRN prescribing authority proposal

Key legislative points proposed by DHS

# Are Nurses InConnecticut TalkingTo Their Legislators? by Timothy E.Squires,RN,BSN,CCRNl itical Action Committee,I am in a position tohave been the Chairperaon of CNPAC for the lastthree and a half yeara andthin ia one ofmy majorconcerna.I have worked hard tugt more nurinvolved,to participate in the poitical procon8and to anderstand the importance of soducatingand working with their state legialatorn.Thereare pablie poliey and health care docisiona beingmade everyday in thin stala which direetly impactapon nursing practicn.Many of theee deciaionaare being made with an abeolute minimum ofinpat from tha nuring community.Thir animportant quoetion.Who ia reuponamible for informing the state legialator and regulators of nureing'a unors,opinione and pouitione on theiasue?Every nurse in rouponaible. There are nurase in thia state who are workingvory hard to educate the membera of the GeneralAssmbly and of the regulatory agenciem.Manynureen in thia state are working to koop the puHepolley dociionmakere upto date on how budedcuta,manpower ahortages and increasing patientacuity lavela are affocting the health care doliveryyatem in Connecticut.Theee mur are doingatremendous job and will continue to influence thedecinionn thataoffhct nuring mactice.Thatheir guccene.Thatr efforte are grotly appredated.The problem in that not emough wnes areactively involved in the peocn Some of these nureshaveahared tairnucoeeewith the mamber ofCNPAC.Theyhaveidentifedwhich legialators have been helpful and supportive of nuraing'sgonls.Input from nuraa who haveworked with members of the General Aaeemblyhas had an impact on the deciaionteodorse and/or contribute to a candidate for publie office.Thiskind of input ia veryj benefcial and must bepanded I realire that the firt ntop ion difficalt Itis not ery to moet with a atate legialator for thefrut time.There are real fean,for many ofthat mut be overcome.The members of CNPACdevelopad an "Interview Guide and Recommamdation Form"to be used by the novioe exactly forthia purpoee.It in a "tool"which can facilitate adiscunsion betwoen a nurae and a legialator.Theinformationobtained can beshand with mambensof CNPAC er with poen.The goal in to inereasethe number of nure who are talling with theirlegislator and to help legialator underatand theissuee from the nuraing perspective. There have boon articlee in the ConnocticutNuring Newa(CNN)during the pant fow yearewhich highight CNPAC activition,goals and aocompliahment.These articlen willcontinae cnperiodie basia(ooe the 1989Lagialator page in theFebruary"89 ianuo).Reoently,aCNN Ad hoe oommittee wan cstabliahed to roview the content ofthe CNN and to make reoommendatione aboutarticle and information to be included in futareisues.Ithaa bosn overwhelmingdy uggeated thatthere be more informationin CNN about howCon-nectieut logrialator voted on feoe important tothe nuring profuasion,on how they roopond toquetions from nureee and about which legialatorsare supportive and willing ta wort with nuraeeon the iaus.Aa Chairpenon of CNPAC andamember of the Cabineton Govenment Relationa,I soe this as an exoellent rooommendation.Iwilldiscuse this isne with the membera ofCNPACatthe next mooting.Hopofully,we will dovelop aometratedee for making thia recommendation arealiy.I wouldalao like to so0 one other recommendation becomea reality.I woold like to"aemorenurass in Connecticut talking to thatr legialators. by Deborah Molloy,MSN,RN,C (Reprintod with pemiealon from the Pebruary1989ingoe of CONN,the newaletter of the Connoticut Nurae Practitiomer Group,Ine) InAugost 1988,the State Department ofHealthServices called for the creation ofan ad hoe committoe to examine the need for ertending proocriptive authority to nran.Thin arose out ofconcernsabout the manahe and handling ofmediceConoerned goups incudod the State Departmentof Consumer Protoction,the Attorney General' The Ad Hoe Committe onaistod of membenfrom nuraing,medical and pharmaciat groups,awell a te agencdes.Th

FAQs

Why does the document emphasize that nurses should talk with state legislators?

Many policy and health care decisions affecting nursing practice are made daily with an absolute minimum of input from the nursing community. The document argues that nurses must inform legislators and regulators about nursing concerns, opinions, and positions.

What tool does CNPAC develop to support nurse-legislator discussions?

CNPAC developed an “Interview Guide and Recommendation Form” to be used by nurses to facilitate discussion between a nurse and a legislator.

What are the key legislative elements proposed for APRN prescribing authority?

The document states that a third tier of nursing (APRN) would be added, prescribing authority would be medically delegated, it would be granted to certified nurse practitioners and related roles, and it outlines eligibility requirements including a Connecticut RN license and additional education and training.

Sep 28, 2026

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