NU_502_ASSIGN_6 Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority State to State Comparison
NU_502_ASSIGN_6 Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority State to State Comparison
Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority State to State Comparison
Nurses are a vital component of the health care delivery in the country. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses with at least a Master’s qualification and specialize in a specific role and population. Through their certification education, and experience, APRNs can assess, diagnose, manage patient condition, prescribe medication and order tests (Dillon & Gary, 2017). However, the scope of practice authority limits the ability of these health care providers from fulfilling their roles as frontline health workers. In this assignment, the paper compares scope of practice and practice authority for APRNs in Connecticut to New York State.
Comparison of Scope of Practice Authority Between Connecticut and New York
Connecticut and New York state boards of nursing recognize advanced registered practice nurses (APRNs) as nurse
NU_502_ASSIGN_6 Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority State to State Comparison
practitioners with at least a Master’s degree and having specialty role or focus on certain patient populations. Nurse practitioners in Connecticut have full practice authority following a recent bill that was signed by the governor in 2019. Nurses in Connecticut may practice alone or in collaboration with a physician or another health care provider licensed to practice in the state (Brom et al., 2018). The law requires that such APRNs should maintain documentation of engaging in performance of advanced practice level nursing activities in collaboration with a licensed physician of a period of at least 3 years. With full practice authority, NPs can evaluate patients, diagnose and order and interpret diagnostic tests.
Nurse practitioners with full practice authority can initiate and manage treatment, including prescribing medications and controlled substances under the exclusive licensure authority of Connecticut board of nursing (AANP, 2020). The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2020) recommends the need for nurses to practice based on their education and training. Therefore, in Connecticut, NPs must meet the e
NU 502 SSIGN 6 Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority State to State Comparison
ducational requirements that include having a Master’s degree and experience. The state board of nursing gives practice licenses and ensures that the collaborative agreement between nurses and physicians benefit patients and communities to have increased access to primary care as APRNs are recognized as primary care providers in Connecticut.
Conversely, Nurse practitioners in New York have reduced practice authority as they should collaborate with licensed physicians and write protocols that include explicit provisions for resolving any disagreements concerning diagnosis and treatment of patients. In New York, an APRN ca prescribe drugs and devices based on the practice agreement with the collaborating doctor. The state requires nurse practitioners to complete educational requirements associated with pharmacology before they can be granted a certificate Poghosyan et al., 2018). The state recognizes NPs as primary care provider implying that they can offer care to and manage medical and health care services of patients. APRNs can join medical staff in New York but get certification from the state board of nursing. Nurse practitioners in New York must possess at least a Master’s degree and have a specialty to practice (AANP, 2020). The prescription of Schedule II Drugs in restricted in New York for nurse practitioners.
Future of APRN
The future of APRN practice in many states lies in having legislations that will allow nurses to practice to full ability and educational qualifications. In New York, efforts through executive orders support full practice authority, especially based on the current pandemic when the state was one of the most affected in the country. Efforts to recognize NPs as primary care providers is essential in attaining full practice authority.
Full practice author for APRNs can confer a host of benefits to society and the health care system. studies have consistently agreed with the Institute of Medicine’s report that allowing nurses to have full practice authority will improve healthcare delivery. In their study, Dillon and Gary (2017) observe that full practice authority for NPs will improve access to care and create greater flexibility for stakeholders to develop patient-centered health care homes and other models of care delivery like nurse managed organizations and accountable care organizations (ACOs). In their position statement, Bosse et al. (2017) advance that full practice authority for APRNs is essential un transformation of primary care delivery. As such, the future of APRNs is promising as over 28 states have expanded the practice and ensured that more nurse practitioners become primary care providers.
Conclusion
The need to expand the practice authority for APRNs is aimed at enhancing overall access to care and ensuring that more people can get primary care services. Different states like Connecticut have full practice authority and recognize APRNs as primary care providers with increased roles and scope of practice.
References
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (2020). Scope of Practice for Nurse
Practitioners. https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/advocacy-resource/position-statements/scope-of-practice-for-nurse-practitioners
Bosse, J., Simmonds, K, Hanson, C., Vanhook, P. (2017). Position statement: Full practice
authority for advanced practice registered nurses is necessary to transform primary care. Nursing Outlook, 65(6): P761-765. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2017.10.002
Brom, H. M., Salsberry, P. J., & Graham, M. C. (2018). Leveraging health care reform to
accelerate nurse practitioner full practice authority. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(3), 120-130 DOI: 10.1097/jxx.0000000000000023
Dillon, D., & Gary, F. (2017). Full practice authority for nurse practitioners. Nursing
Administration quarterly, 41(1), 86-93. DOI:10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000210
Poghosyan, L., Norful, A. A., & Laugesen, M. J. (2018). Removing restrictions on nurse
practitioners’ scope of practice in New York State: Physicians’ and nurse practitioners’ perspectives. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(6), 354-360. doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000040.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) (2021). APRNS in the U.S.
https://www.ncsbn.org/aprn.htm