State Representative Kay Khan has represented Newton in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1995. She currently serves the 11th Middlesex district, which consists of Ward 1: Precincts 2, 3, Wards 2, 3, 4, and Ward 7: Precinct 2. Representative Khan has championed many projects to completion, including the implementation of the Auburndale and Waban sound barriers, the construction of the Lower Falls Pedestrian Bridge and the renovation of the Lower Falls Community Center. Currently, the Representative is working with a coalition of stakeholders to make all three Newton Commuter Rail Stations accessible and has already secured over $20 million in funding for the project through the Capital Improvement Plan.
"I am extremely proud to be a nurse. Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system. I have worked for decades in the Massachusetts legislature to improve the recognition of nurses as a critical part of a team in the hospital and in the community." - Representative Kay Khan
An Act to Support Access, Value and Equity in Health Care (SAVE Act)
This bill removes the requirement that a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist must be supervised by a physician to write prescriptions and order tests and therapeutics. The supervisory requirement would be removed only after a two-year period of supervision of the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist by a physician, a nurse practitioner or a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist in independent practice.
An Act Relative to the Governance of the Health Policy Commission
If passed, this legislation would add the critical perspectives of a registered nurse and a public health expert focused on eliminating healthcare disparities to the Commonwealth’s Health Policy Commission, the independent state agency that shapes policy and tracks cost-control measures across our public health and healthcare sectors. In February of 2019, State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump appointed Barbara Blakeney, an experienced public health nurse, to the HPC. With this appointment, Auditor Bump took a critical step in recognizing the important perspective nurses in leadership can bring to our healthcare system. This bill will ensure that professional nurses have permanent representation on the HPC so that we can continue to benefit from their insights and contributions on improving health care in the Commonwealth.
An Act to Remove Barriers to Practice for Psychiatric Nurse Mental Health Clinical Specialists
This bill removes the requirement that a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist must be supervised by a physician to write prescriptions and order tests and therapeutics. The supervisory requirement would be removed only after a two-year period of supervision of the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist by a physician, a nurse practitioner or a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist in independent practice.
An Act to Remove the Restrictions on the Licenses of CRNAs
This legislation would remove the mandate of physician supervision for the prescriptive practice and retrospective review of prescriptions already written for patients by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). It would also eliminate restrictive time limitations on issuing prescriptions for CRNAs.
H.3881, An Act to Increase Access to Nurse-Midwifery Services
This legislation requires insurers to pay nurse midwives the same as physicians for the same services. Nurse-Midwives are Advanced Practice Nurses. According to Massachusetts law and the Board of Registration in Nursing, they are also considered independent practitioners, and do not have to work under the supervision of physicians. Making reimbursement more equitable will enable nurse-midwives to expand their services in many under-served areas of the state.
The legislation gives Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists the same authority that Nurse Practitioners currently have to sign certain patient health documents. Both Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Practitioners are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses according to Massachusetts law and the Board of Registration in Nursing. Signatory authority will help make patient care more efficient and accessible.
H.2336, An Act Creating a Nursing Advisory Board
This legislation would establish a Nursing Advisory Board which will create a neutral environment for discussion of issues facing the nursing workforce of Massachusetts, and serve as a think tank to produce research for long-term planning and strategic policy development in the nursing field. The 8 Board Members would represent all areas of nursing and the Board may seek public and private grant money to fund its research endeavors.​
This bill would establish a 17 member Commission on nurse staffing in hospitals located within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The Commission would review and make recommendations regarding best nurse staffing practices designed to improve the patient care environment, quality outcomes, and nurse satisfaction.