States may give advanced-practice nurses wider scope

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

A wave of bills are working their way through state legislatures that would expand the scope of practice for advanced-practice nurses. In fact, at least 24 states are either considering such bills or expecting to see such measures filed this year, according to political researchers. The bills address a broad range of issues, including independent practice, doctor supervision, prescribing authority, or extended prescribing to include controlled substances. Many of these measures are opposed by the AMA and its state affiliates, who say they have safety concerns. But observers say such legislation likely will have some momentum, given the growing physician shortage and a growth in advanced degree programs for nurses.

These bills follow the establishment of a similar law in Pennsylvania, which expanded the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, physician assistants and dental hygienists. The new law, which was enacted in 2007, gave nurse practitioners the right to order medical equipment and refer to physical therapists and related practitioners. It also gave nurse midwives prescribing privileges that include permission to prescribe controlled substances.

To learn more about this trend:
- read this AMNews piece

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'Dr. Nurse' might help with primary care shortage

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:59:55 -0400

With the primary care shortage growing worse, nursing schools are responding with their own solution--training and graduating growing numbers of nurses with doctorates. To date, more than 200 nursing schools have created or plan to launch doctorate of nursing programs, and there currently are about 1,900 DNP students enrolled in such programs, up from from 862 in 2006. Not only will such programs help ease the primary care crunch, they'll also help with the shortage of nursing faculty available, which has greatly restricted the capacity of schools to treat traditional bedside nurses.

The schools say these programs give nurses skills equivalent to those possessed by primary care physicians, though perhaps with a greater emphasis on coordinating care. They have the authority to prescribe medications and qualify for hospital medical board admitting privileges. The National Board of Medical Examiners is developing a voluntary DNP certification exam that uses the same test physicians take to get their license, which will be offered starting this fall.

To learn more about the issues associated with the emergence of DNPs:
- read this Wall Street Journal article

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Nurse Practitioner Role

States may give advanced-practice nurses wider scope

'Dr. Nurse' might help with primary care shortage