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An increasing number of states are eliminating hurdles for patients who want easier access to treatment from a nurse practitioner with Nebraska joining 19 other states by granting patients “full and direct” access to these advanced degree nurses.
Such full practice authority allows nurse practitioners to evaluate patients, make diagnoses, “order and interpret diagnostic tests” and prescribe without maintaining a collaborative agreement with doctors, according to the Nebraska bill signed into law last week by Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican. Five other states have made similar moves since 2011 with others like South Carolina considering the same.
“Nebraskans will now benefit from a 21st century health care delivery model that has been shown to improve access, reduce wait times and control costs, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” said Ken Miller, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Nurse practitioners are educated to perform myriad primary care functions, diagnose, prescribe medications and conduct physical exams but state scope of practice laws often prevent them from such care unless they have an agreement with an overseeing physician.
Increasingly, however, states are changing such laws as patients and the public at large become more familiar with nurse practitioners and lawmakers look to address access issues, particularly in rural areas like Nebraska. The Association of American Medical Colleges says the U.S. doctor shortage could hit 90,000 by 2025.
Meanwhile, the number of nurse practitioners is one of the fastest-growing health professions in the country doubling in number to more than 205,000 in the last decade. States like Nebraska said they couldn’t recruit them as well because they had to have “practice agreements” with physicians. Nebraska State Senator Sue Crawford said lawmakers consulted with the Federal Trade Commission in evaluating safety and effectiveness of nurse practitioners.
Retailers like CVS Health (CVS) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) have hired thousands of nurse practitioners. Walgreens has 1,200 practitioners at more than 420 clinics while CVS 2,700 practitioners across its 960 clinics.
The new law in Nebraska will allow nurse practitioners to open and maintain their own clinics as well.
Wondering more about the role of nurses under the Affordable Care Act? The Forbes eBook Inside Obamacare: The Fix For America’s Ailing Health Care System answers that question and more. Available now at Amazon and Apple.
