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“The Real Future of Nursing: What Will It Look Like Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)”

7-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise Conference
from San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 22 - March 1, 2015

Carol Lynn Esposito, Ed.D., JD, MS, RN
Lucille Sollazzo, BSN, RN

Purpose Statement: The Affordable Care Act is now the law of the land. The news media currently spends countless hours discussing the pros and cons of this new law, and the effects it will have on healthcare access for the previously uninsured. This controversial policy change will be front and center in the 2014 Congressional and gubernatorial elections.

What does the ACA really mean for nurses? What effect is this new law having upon the nursing profession and healthcare delivery in all settings, where inpatient or outpatient? How can the nursing community ensure that nurses remain autonomous in their practice and are front and center in the delivery of healthcare? Will we see new nursing specialties emerge from this law? Join us in a discussion of the ACA and an analysis of what this new law means for nursing education, nurses, and nursing into the future.

Objectives: At the conclusion of this program, the participant will be able to:
  • Understand the focus of the ACA on nursing and how it impacts healthcare delivery and industry trends in our country
  • Describe the pros and cons of the ACA
  • Discuss the role of the Advanced Practice Nurse and Registered Professional Nurse under the ACA in primary health care settings, educational settings, and acute care facilities
  • Discuss the financing of the ACA and whether it controls or increases healthcare costs
  • Describe how reimbursement provisions under the ACA can effect funding streams
  • Identify new educational funding and grants for nurses under the ACA
  • Describe the union's role in the primary care environment to ensure that under-served communities get the health care that they need
  • Discuss the peril of Hospital closures in under-served communities and how hospital closures actually decrease primary care in those communities
  • Discuss Primary care networks and the trend towards "doc in the box" businesses
  • Understand the difference between the ACA and single payer
  • Describe ways nurses can navigate the political arena to make positive changes to nursing under the ACA
  • Discuss nursing's role and importance in moving to a single payer system.

Independent study: (4.5 Hours)

The healthcare law's emphasis on keeping people healthy, preventing illness and managing chronic conditions promises to shape and lead the future delivery of healthcare. This independent study will explore whether that's true and what real opportunities nurses have under the ACA. The nursing profession also wants to ensure nurses are not left behind as some healthcare providers move into communities and evolve into practitioners that are less about performing patient care tasks and more about providing care management and coordination. Current trends have increasing numbers of nurses moving into facilities offering services such as rehabilitation (acute and long-term), sub-acute and acute long-term care, assisted living, hospice, patient centered medical homes, nurse managed health clinics, wellness centers, and home care centers. Nurses have been urged to prepare themselves for a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery and lead this paradigm shift. Program participants will independently review literature that will overview nursing roles and educational programs designed to help nurses meet patient and student demands in the 21st century and keep nurses at the center of patient care.
 
Based upon the review of the literature, each nurse participant will independently:
  • Identify educational grants open to nurses in the new healthcare climate;
  • Create a template for an educational module for new graduates and experienced nurses based upon what was learned from the literature.​​

The New York State Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

NYSNA wishes to disclose that no commercial support was received. Declaration of Vested Interests: None.

Up to 19.5 Contact Hours - 15 Hours - Live Sessions; 4.5 hours - Independent study
 
Conference Registration Fee - $350
 
All questions regarding the cruise, travel, hotel, and travel insurance should be directed to Continuing Education Inc. by calling toll-free 800-422-0711.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All conferees, their families, and guests must book their cruise within the CMEmeeting group through Continuing Education, Inc./University at Sea® at 800-422-0711 or by registering online. This ensures our company can provide conference services and complimentary social amenities to all meeting participants and their guests. Thank you for your cooperation.
Cruise Itinerary
 
DATE PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART
Sun Feb 22 San Juan, Puerto Rico - 8:30pm
Mon Feb 23 At Sea Cruising - -
Tue Feb 24 Bridgetown, Barbados 8:00am 5:00pm
Wed Feb 25 Castries, St. Lucia 8:00am​ 5:00pm
Thu Feb 26 St. Johns, Antigua 8:00am 5:00pm
Fri Feb 27 Philipsburg, St. Maarten 8:00am 6:00pm
Sat Feb 28 St. Croix, USVI 8:00am 5:00pm
Sun Mar 1 San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00am -
 
  
Please note that our shore excursions are operated separately and independently of those offered by the cruise line.