Online Program

292966
Utilizing registered nurses for phone triage lines during flu pandemics: Legal opportunities and barriers


Monday, November 4, 2013

Jamie Ware, JD, MSW, National Nursing Centers Consortium, Philadelphia, PA
Alternative methods of providing care to ill persons may be needed during a severe influenza pandemic. This session will review the work of the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) and its affiliate the National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC) on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Network for Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) sponsored feasibility study regarding utilizing Registered Nurses for Phone Triage Lines during a severe influenza pandemic. NNCC is conducting a 50 state assessment of laws impacting RN ability to provide telephone triage advice and to prescribe under a broad protocol via nurse triage lines. A description of the 50 state assessment will be discussed, including: developing research questions, protocols, a methodology, and designing the assessment. The overall results for the states and the limitations of the study will be discussed. By the end of the session, attendees will have working knowledge of how existing state laws may impact the use of nurse triage lines during a pandemic.

Learning Areas:

Program planning
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Explain the influence of local laws on the ability of Registered Nurses to provide triage care via the telephone during a pandemic. Demonstrate how laws may be used and/or adapted to enhance action in emergency situations.

Keyword(s): Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I directed all of the legal research as well as the results of this project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.