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MQA Q1 2014 - 2015 4
Future doctors learn licensing process
Crystal Sanford, Program Operations Administrator to the Florida Board of Medicine,
was invited by Leslie Bietsch, M.D., who teaches Health Issues in Medicine, to do a
presentation to second year medical students at Florida State University about the
licensure and regulation of medical doctors. Crystal gave the presentation on Sept.
29, and her outreach will help future doctors navigate the licensing process and serve
patients in Florida, a measurable benefit to the Department and the state’s health
care consumers.
New public managers graduate
MQA graduated six people from the two-year Certified Public Manager program
through Florida State University in July. The nationally recognized program trains
potential public managers and supervisors in professional standards so they can help
their agencies improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The graduates
were Bureau of Operations employees James “Wes” Love, Katie Smith, Jennifer
Wenhold and Jutika Maharaj, and Bureau of Enforcement employees Alicia
“Nikki” Fringer and Kelly Ledington.
MQA employee inspires nursing grads
Sherri Sutton-Johnson, MSN, RN, Board of Nursing Director of Nursing Education, was
the featured keynote speaker for the Gadsden Center for Health Education School of
Practical Nursing’s Pinning Ceremony July 21. Mrs. Sutton-Johnson provided words of
motivation and encouragement to the nursing graduates as they embarked on their
challenging journey in the profession of nursing. She reminded the 2014 graduates
known as the “Unique Eleven” that nursing requires heart, brains and courage to
always strive to protect and maintain the integrity of the profession. The Division’s
guidance for nursing education programs has a significant impact within the state to
further quality nursing care.
Application surge helps lower fees
The Board of Nursing reduced fees for initial license applications as of July 1 from
$165 to $100. The cumulative benefit to new Florida registered nurses and licensed
practical nurses is estimated at $1.75 million each year -- MQA licensed 5,555 LPNs
and 21,910 RNs last fiscal year. In part due to an increase in applications, the board
determined it could have cost-effective regulation with a reduction of fees, after
analyzing its cash balance reports and revenue/expenditure forecasts.
Presentation helps AHCA inspectors
Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel representatives Jose Montalvan, Regulatory
Supervisor, and Samantha Thompson, Regulatory Specialist II, spoke at a Florida
Agency for Health Care Administration training session for its clinical laboratory
surveyors and inspectors in August. Attendees had many questions about Department
of Health licensing, the laws and rules governing the profession and what constitutes
unlicensed practice. AHCA requested this presentation be a permanent part of its
training, demonstrating the benefit of collaboration.
We use teamwork to achieve common goals and solve problems.
We perform with integrity.
COLLABORATION
ACCOUNTABILITY