STEP 1
Click on the link below and enter your home address (if a RI resident). If not a RI resident you can use your work address.
Once you add your address you will need to look for the light gray boxes that identify your
STATE REPRESENTATIVE and STATE SENATOR.
Click each of these boxes to see their contact information.
Click Here and Look-up Your RI State Representative and Senator
STEP 2
Locate the email address for your State Representative and State Senator on their contact page from above.
Note: If they don't list an email address you can use
rep-lastname@rilegislature.gov for your representative and sen-lastname@rilegislature.gov for your senator.
So for example, Senator Donald Duck would be sen-duck@rilegislature.gov
STEP 3
Please use the above info and send an email to your Representative. This bill does not have a senate version yet.
Email for Your Representative
Subject: Opposition to HB-7740
Dear Representative (Insert Reps Name),
I am a constituent living in your district and a Physician Assistant working at (insert workplace). I am writing to you today to respectfully request you oppose HB-7740.
· The draft legislation states that unless you are a CRNA or CRNA student, you “shall not administer agents that are primarily used and classified as general anesthetics for minimal, moderate, deep sedation, or general anesthesia.” PAs, working collaboratively with RNs, routinely and safely provide minimal and moderate (“conscious”) sedation in many inpatient and outpatient settings. No one disputes that general anesthesia should be provided by CRNAs or anesthesiologists. However, there is a broad subset of clinical environments where mild to moderate sedation has been safely provided for years by trained providers without complications. · This language directly impacts procedural areas as well as directly impacting critical care areas, emergency departments, and medical and surgical ICUs. · It may limit patient access and could potentially require sending patients out of state for sedation‑assisted procedures such as colonoscopies, endoscopies, interventional radiology procedures, and pediatric imaging.· This bill will increase patient length of stay for inpatient units by increasing delays in obtaining procedures that require sedation since CRNAs and anesthesiologists are not always readily available.· May increase healthcare costs by now requiring anesthesiologists or CRNAs to provide sedation and care to a patient population that has been traditionally and safely managed by MDs, DOs, PAs, and NPs.· It restricts RNs from administering or titrating sedating medications on non-intubated patients in critical care areas, where that is exactly what these RNs are trained and credentialed to do.
((Insert a few comments as to how this may impact you and your patients))Thank you for your consideration and hopefully your opposition of HB-7740.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
STEP 4
Pat yourself on the back and encourage your fellow PAs to do the same
STEP 5
Consider Donating to the RIPA PAC to help us continue to advocate for you.
Please Donate to the PAC
