House committee approves nursing workforce, emergency medications bills

The House Energy and Commerce Committee today approved the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2713) and the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (H.R. 4365). Supported by the AHA and its American Organization of Nurse Executives, H.R. 2713 would reauthorize the Health Resources and Services Administration’s nursing workforce development programs through fiscal year 2020 and update the programs to reflect current nursing roles and practices. H.R. 4365, also supported by the AHA, would clarify that medications governed by the Controlled Substances Act may be administered by Emergency Medical Services practitioners pursuant to a standing order issued by a physician medical director of an EMS agency. “We applaud your efforts to clarify the role of standing orders while protecting the continuity of existing EMS operations and oversight structures around the country,” wrote AHA. “We also appreciate that the legislation continues to allow hospital-based EMS agencies to use their hospital’s Drug Enforcement Administration registration so that no new administrative burdens are placed on hospital-based EMS agencies.”