A proposed change to the NPO bylaws has been submitted the NPO Professional Standards Committee, chaired by Karen Greco, at the Oct. 23, 2021 NPO Business Meeting.

As per the NPO Bylaws, the proposed changes are posted and will be voted on at the Jan. 8, 2022 NPO Quarterly Business Meeting.

See below for official proposed changes and rationale as presented by the Professional Standards Committee Chair.

If you have any questions or want to comment on the proposed changes, please email NPO@OregonRN.org.

Proposed 2021 Bylaws Updates:

1. Change the committee title from Professional Standards Committee to Professional Practice Committee.(Rationale for change: Practice Committee will include professional standards and also have a broader focus on NP practice issues.)
   
2. Update the committee objectives to broaden the committee focus to better address member needs.

Current 2019 Bylaws state the following:

Section 5. The Professional Standards Committee shall:

• a.    Work to bring about adherence to ethical, professional, and legal standards of practice. (Rationale for change: ONA/NPO does not regulate or have the authority to bring about adherence.)
•  b.    Maintain liaison with the Oregon State Board of Nursing regarding regulation of nurse practitioners and issues regarding the practice of nurse practitioners, both as individuals and as a group. (Rationale for change: ONA/NPO does not regulate. The OSBN provides updates/changes through their website as a resource to members.)
•  c.    Advocate for safe practice advancement. (Rationale for change: This objective is not clear.)
  

Proposed Professional Practice Committee name change with revised objectives.

Professional Practice Committee shall:

• a.    Help disseminate current information on professional, ethical, and legal standards of practice to NPO members and Oregon nurse practitioners.
• b.    Review, evaluate, comment on, and draft position statements, when appropriate, on nurse practitioner best practices and practice standards.
• c.    Support and facilitate NPO opportunities for discussion of professional practice experiences, challenges, and successes.