Family Health - Week 9 Discussion 2nd REPLY

Lizbette Dobson

For this week's discussion review your state's scope of practice and address 3 areas that you were not aware you can do as a licensed provider in your state.

For the purpose of this week's discussion, I utilized the Florida Board of Nursing to further research my individual states scope of practice. I also utilized the  2022 Florida Statutes. After further review of my state's scope of practice I stumbled across several areas that I was not aware the APRN’s could do as licensed providers. According to the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Board of Nursing, family nurse practitioners can practice independently if they have a signed protocol with a physician.FNPs in Florida can practice independently if they have a signed agreement with a physician. They can even have their own practices. A physician does not necessarily need to be present at the time of service. This written protocol contains a clear outline of duties the NP is allowed to perform. The level of physician supervision is also specifically identified in the protocol. Different levels of supervision may be required for different actions on the part of the APRN. For example, diagnosis may require no supervision, while certain procedures will require the physician to be onsite or may be prohibited altogether. Furthermore, per Florida Statute 464.012, an APRN can prescribe medications including controlled substance Schedules II-IV. These schedules classify drugs from most to least prone to abuse. The written physician protocol determines which prescriptions will require direct physician prescription in that specific environment. I found several categories of practice that were further specific to the Autonomous APRN. In the state of Florida, only an APRN who is registered and been approved for autonomous practice can sign a death certificate according to House Bill 607. Completion of the death certificate is critical to families when their loved one passes away and becoming an online EDRS certifier is easy and free, however, only approved for APRNs who are autonomous. The Florida APRN is also approved to insert special peripheral and central venous and arterial lines for blood sampling and monitoring as appropriate.

Reference

Florida Board of Nursing » Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) - Licensing, Renewals 

& Information. (n.d.). 

https://floridasnursing.gov/nursing-faqs/advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn/

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine. (n.d.). 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute