COURSE:

NR506NP – Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Preparing the Discussion

1. Discuss your state NP community in terms of scope of practice. Include your state’s scope of practice for NPs, including:
   • Level of independence of practice **In California, NPs are required to practice under Standardized Procedure Guidelines. If CA is your intended practice state, please provide details on how Standardized Procedures Guidelines are developed in California and an example of a California SPG.
   • Prescribing authority
   • Any limitations of practice
   • Process for obtaining licensure in your state
   • Certification and education requirements for licensure.
2. If you live in a restricted or reduced practice state, how has patient care been impacted in your local community by these barriers? For instance, is the ED used for primary care?  Are the EDs overcrowded with long wait times?  Are there urgent care clinics readily available? Is there adequate access to primary care?  If you live in a full practice, how has an independent practice of the APN resulted in improved patient access to healthcare?
3. How does access to NPs impact any healthcare disparities?
4. A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

Solution

In my state of practice, Florida, Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have a restricted scope of practice. They must have career-long supervision, delegation, or team management by another health provider. The NP is also typically restricted in practicing in a minimum of one additional element of the NP practice. As for prescriptive authority, an NP must collaborate with a physician to obtain prescriptive authority privileges. The NP must consult the supervising physician when prescribing controlled substances and must also complete pharmacology…………………………….$5