Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Maryland, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota Washington, Washington D.C., Wyoming — have removed legal barriers (Links to an external site.)that restricted nurse practitioner practice (ARNP).
These states have Full practice while other states have Restricted Practice or Reduced Practice.
Please explain the differences?
Why do you think we have these 3 levels of practice?
Please Write 300 + words Answering the questions.
Quotation are not counted with the 300 words.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The healthcare industry in the United States has been expanding rapidly, and therefore, the demand for primary healthcare providers has also increased. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses who are capable of performing diagnosing, treating and prescribing medications to patients. However, the role of NPs is restricted by certain legal barriers in many states in the USA. In this essay, I will explain the differences between Full, Restricted Practice, and Reduced Practice states and examine why we have these three levels of practice.
Explanation of Differences:
There are currently 23 states that allow nurse practitioners full practice authority. This means that NPs can practice without the need for physician oversight. These states provide NPs the power to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications, implement patient care plans, and even open their own practices. On the other hand, restricted practice states have certain limitations on NP’s practice authority. For instance, NPs in these states must work under the supervision of a physician, and there are limitations on their prescribing rights. In certain states, NPs can only prescribe medications in collaboration with a physician. In contrast, reduced practice states have the most restrictions on NP’s practice authority. They still require physician oversight for patient care, and the NPs have limited prescribing rights.
Why do we have these 3 levels of practice?
The differences in NP practice levels are primarily because of the state laws that are in place. Each state has its own practice law, which determines the level of authority that NPs have in that state. One of the reasons for different practice levels is to ensure public safety. In some states, legislators believe that NPs should work under physician supervision to ensure proper patient care. Therefore, they restrict the role of NPs in such states. However, in other states, legislators believe that NPs are capable of providing quality primary healthcare without physician oversight. Thus, they allow NPs full practice authority in such states.
Another important factor that affects NP practice authority is the healthcare needs of the population. In certain areas, there may not be enough physicians, making it difficult to provide quality healthcare to the public. In such settings, NPs can play a vital role in filling in the gaps of healthcare services. Therefore, state legislators may remove barriers that restrict NP practice to improve healthcare access for the population.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, nurse practitioners play an essential role in our healthcare system. Several states have removed legal barriers to expand NP’s practice authority. However, not all states have the same level of authority for NPs. Restricted and reduced practice states still require physician oversight, but the full practice states have removed regulatory barriers and allow NPs to provide better services to the community. Many factors contribute to these differences, including state laws, patient needs, and the availability of healthcare providers. The ultimate goal should be to provide high-quality healthcare services to the entire population, regardless of the level of NP practice authority.
