Discussion Reply
Module 4 Discussion
The role of the nurse practitioner has allowed advancements to be made in streamlining healthcare and allowing more provider access to patients. Unfortunately, the ability of nurse practitioners to work to the full extent of their scope and education is a pragmatic issue in the United States. Scope of practice varies from state to state and it is divided into three authority statuses: full practice, reduced practice and restricted practice (“State Practice Environment”, n.d.). Full practice authority means that the state and licensure laws permit nurse practitioners to evaluate, diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic test for patients. These nurse practitioners can also initiate and manage treatment as well as prescribe medications and controlled substances. Reduced practice states reduce the ability of nurse practitioners to be autonomous. State laws require them to collaborate with another provider in order to give care to patients. Restricted practice limits the nurse practitioner’s autonomy the most. These state and licensure laws require career long supervision, delegation or team management by another healthcare provider in order for the nurse practitioner to provide patient care.
With the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a new demand for healthcare workers. Hospitals can’t keep up with the trending numbers and the state of Florida is one of the states that is suffering the most. With that being said the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis enacted and has now moved Florida from being a restricted practice state to a full practice state for nurse practitioners. The state of Florida recognized nurse practitioners as primary care providers. This means that they can now provide services to patients without referral from a physician. This motion went into effect on July 1st and will allow for nurse practitioners to register for autonomous practice (“HB 607 Passes”, 2020). The eligibility requirements include: no discipline within 5 years of applying for the registration; completion of 3,000 clinical practice hours as an APRN under the supervision of physician within the 5 years immediately preceding the registration request; and, within the past 5 years, completion of graduate-level semester hours, or the equivalent, in differential diagnosis and pharmacology (“HB 607 Passes”, 2020).
Nurse practitioners are expected to have malpractice insurance or an exception. According to the Florida scope of practice, nurse practitioners can practice on their own in primary settings such as family, pediatrics and internal medicine. They can prescribe any drug and controlled substances if they are practicing autonomously.
Florida’s now full practice authority is different in comparison to other states such as the state of Alabama. Alabama is a reduced practice state and nurse practitioners are not recognized as a primary care provider. Advance practice registered nurses in this state have to collaborate with other providers in order to give care to patients. They must create a collaborative practice agreement with a physician. The agreement has to be on practice sites, prescriptions orders and quality assurance. The state of Alabama does not require direct, on-site supervision of the activities of a certified registered nurse practitioner by the collaborating physician ("Alabama Scope", n.d.).
Hopefully in the future and because of the need for primary health care providers with the Covid-19 pandemic, all of the states will lift restrictions on nurse practitioners’ scope of practice.
References
Alabama Scope of Practice Policy - State Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from http://scopeofpracticepolicy.org/states/al/ (Links to an external site.)
HB 607 Passes Legislature – Impact to RNs, CNAs, and APRNs. (2020). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://floridasnursing.gov/hb-607-passes-legislature-impact-to-rns-cnas-and-aprns/ (Links to an external site.)
State Practice Environment. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/state-practice-environment