July 7, 2006
AMA Approves 2 ASA-Sponsored Resolutions
The ASA Committee on Representation to the American Medical Association (AMA), chaired by John B. Neeld, Jr., M.D., ASA President in 1999, also serves as ASA’s delegation to the AMA House of Delegates. Dr. Neeld reported that two resolutions sponsored by ASA were approved by the AMA House during its meeting June 10-14, 2006, in Chicago, Illinois.
Resolution 211: “Need to Expose and Counter Nurse Doctoral Programs (NDP) Misrepresentation”
Testimony on this resolution was heard in Reference Committee B (Legislation), chaired by ASA Assistant Treasurer John M. Zerwas, M.D. The resolution was prompted by the plan of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to convert their advanced practice nursing degrees from a Master’s level to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree by 2015 and the claims made by at least one existing program that its degree is “similar in concept to practice doctorates in other professions such as medicine, law and dentistry.”
The ASA delegation had grave concerns that patient safety could be jeopardized in the clinical setting by nurses and other non-physician practitioners identifying themselves as “doctors” when they have not earned a medical degree.
No negative testimony was offered, and the resolution was accepted by the AMA House without debate. The resolution establishes:
“That it shall be the policy of our American Medical Association (AMA) that institutions offering advanced education in the healing arts and professions shall fully and accurately inform applicants and students of the educational programs and degrees offered by an institution and the limitations, if any, on the scope of practice under applicable state law for which the program prepares the student;
“That our AMA work jointly with state attorneys general to identify and prosecute those individuals who misrepresent themselves as physicians to their patients and mislead program applicants as to their future scope of practice;
“That our AMA pursue all other appropriate legislative, regulatory and legal actions through the Scope of Practice Partnership, as well as actions with hospital staff organizations, to counter misrepresentation by nurse doctoral programs and their students and graduates, particularly in clinical settings.”
An additional friendly amendment established that there be required identification procedures in place in all clinical settings to ensure that health care workers without medical training do not identify themselves and are not perceived as true physicians.
Resolution 605: “Health Care Recovery Fund”
Testimony on this resolution was heard in Reference Committee F (Finance & AMA Governance). The resolution resulted from the ASA’s request that its donation to the Health Care Recovery Fund created by the AMA Foundation (a legally separate entity from the AMA) after Hurricane Katrina be directed to the relief of medical students, residents and fellows and the Foundation’s response that it had “no mechanism” to comply with the specific request.
The resolution requests that the AMA “convey to the AMA Foundation that medical students, resident physicians and fellows, and young physicians be given special consideration and priority when distributions are made from any special disaster recovery funds.”
The resolution was approved.