From The Star Staff
On Tuesday, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, candidate for governor representing the New Progressive Party (NPP), reaffirmed her dedication to advancing the careers of health professionals, including nurses across all categories.
The NPP’s health initiative in the government program, #AcciónPR, asserts, “we will seek resources to enhance the wages and working environments of health professionals who do not bill — including nurses, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, paramedics, and others — who have not directly gained from increases in payments through the Vital Plan.”
The initiatives that González Colón, if elected as governor, along with the NPP, will pursue respond to the recent assertion by advanced practice nurses, whose union highlighted that the stance of the Puerto Rican Independence Party and its gubernatorial candidate poses a threat to nursing’s professional growth.
The legislation establishing the nursing practice framework was ratified in 2015, acknowledging the role of nurse practitioners. In #AcciónPR, González Colón and the NPP underscore the significance of nurse practitioners, who play a vital role as primary care providers, collaborating closely with physicians. The NPP’s stance promotes that this profession enhances access to preventive and health promotion services, thereby mitigating health complications and reducing hospitalization rates.
Nurse practitioners collaborate with physicians to conduct tasks like examining medical records and performing advanced physical evaluations, establishing diagnoses and treatment plans that include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, and promptly referring patients to other health specialists based on their requirements. Research indicates that the collaborative framework between physicians and nurse practitioners guarantees a high-quality standard in healthcare delivery.
