Nurses are prepared to assist fill the physician shortage

“New York has taken a critical step forward in our nation by increasing access to essential health care services,” said April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), in Press Release. “New Yorkers will now have full and direct access to comprehensive care provided by NPs.” The Kansas laws was signed into law just days after the New York bill and was met with equal enthusiasm. Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2279 into law making Kansas the second state in 2022 and the twenty sixth state within the nation to adopt ICA laws. “This is a major milestone for health care in Kansas and for our nation,” Kapu said in: Press Release. In August 2021, Delaware Governor John Carney signed into law the state’s nurse practitioners Full Practice Authorization (FPA), making Delaware the twenty fourth state to adopt partnership agreement laws – and never a moment too soon. The physician shortage is real and growing, and nations might help fill the gap. Some evaluation conducted in June 2019 by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) confirmed this fact with indicators that predicted a shortage of as much as 139,000 physicians by 2033. A big percentage of the anticipated and worsening physician shortages are in primary care – in line with the AAMC, the information suggests , that it could reach just over 55,000. For specialties, the numbers are even higher – the projected potential shortage of specialist physicians is sort of 87,000. The solution to the physician shortage is direct access to health care provided by nurses, said Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN , FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, direct former president American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). “One of the most important challenges facing patients and countries is the availability of healthcare providers, especially providers providing services in primary care and across the health care continuum,” she said.

Full authority on practice backed by evidence

“In states with an FPA, NPs are authorized to evaluate patients, diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and initiate and administer treatment – ​​including prescribing medications – under the exclusive authority of the state board of nursing,” Thomas said. This licensing model is supported by a long time of evidence and is really useful by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the National Academy of Medicine (formerly IOM) and other leading health policy experts, she said. Not all states have approved an FPA for his or her nanoparticles. Many states maintain barriers to health care provided by NPs, she said.

“Unfortunately, in other states, outdated licensing laws hinder access to health care and contribute to rising health care costs,” Thomas said. “AANP is committed to working with states to update their licensing laws and ensure patients have direct access to NPs.”

Of the remaining states that maintain restrictions on NP practice, a few dozen have introduced FPA laws this yr, Thomas said. “Several others have introduced bills to address other challenges, such as recognizing NP signatures on patient care forms,” she said. “Given the strong focus this year on health care delivery and health equity, lawmakers are taking a close look at how modernizing licensing laws can improve care in their states.” Kapu also expressed support for countries that proceed to push for the FPA. “States with FPAs have a proven track record of increasing access and patient satisfaction while maintaining excellent quality of care and outcomes,” Kapu said in the discharge. “We are encouraged that other states are willing to modernize their laws, eliminate health care disparities, and increase health care access and choice for patients by fully engaging NP professionals.”

Addressing the physician shortage through NP laws

To provide seniors with more complete care, AANP supported the passage of the CARES Act in March 2020, which increased seniors’ access to home health care services, Thomas said. “The law authorized national facilities to certify and recertify home health care services for Medicare patients, increased funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) for nurses and other health care providers, and provided necessary resources to respond to the pandemic,” she said. . In California, an act of the state assembly AB-890 passed in August 2020, which eliminates practice restrictions for many California dentists, said Patricia Anaya Gurney, MSN, RN, PPCNP-BC, president of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners (CANP) and a PNP practitioner in a big pediatric primary care practice for Sutter Medical Group in Roseville, California. “AB 890 creates two categories of NP: 103 and 104 NP (named after the sections of the code that define [2837.103 and 2837.104] who can practice without standard procedures.” The 103 MPs work in certain health care settings, including clinics, home health agencies, medical groups and hospices, amongst others, she said. “Under one section of this new law, 2837.104(a) 104, NPs will be able to operate independently under a nurse practitioner or nurse practitioner corporation effective January 1, 2023.” – she said. Gurney noted that COVID-19 played a big role within the passage of the laws. “Legislators who previously opposed this bill recognized the need for greater access to care due to the pandemic,” she said. California can be experiencing a physician shortage, but NPs might help fill the gap, said Cynthia Jovanov, DNP, MBA, ACNP -BC, FNP -BC, CNS, CCRN, RNFA, a practicing NP in the overall surgery service line at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage in California and President-Elect of CANP.

“Patients need us, and we are here to help and serve them,” she said. “In both primary and secondary care, NP practice expansion expands teams and increases patient access to care.”

Beth Haney, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, chair of the AANP Health Policy Conference, former mayor and current councilwoman of Yorba Linda, California, and CEO of Luxe Aesthetic Center Inc., said that when the California law takes effect and regulations are put in place , patients could have greater access to care. This can be because many IBOs are more likely to decide to work in underserved areas in addition to in densely populated regions. “The new bill, AB-890, will also make it easier for NPs with an entrepreneurial spirit to open their own practice,” she said. “NPs could obtain a business license and conduct their practice in a way that best serves their patient population.” Additionally, pending laws goals to assist reduce restrictions on the practice of nanoparticles.

Currently, patients have difficulty finding NPs as primary care providers because directories typically list only physicians, Haney said. “I hope that more national physicians will open their own primary care practices once the law goes into effect in California,” she said. “This will help reduce healthcare burden as patients will have a more visible choice of providers in more locations.” Solid evidence shows that for nearly 50 years, health centers have consistently proven to be cost-effective providers of high-quality care, Thomas said. “The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the critical need to increase patient access to care, reduce health disparities and combat rising rates of chronic disease,” she said. “NPs offer 290,000 solutions to strengthen health care in our country. It is time to give NPs full practice privileges and ensure every patient has direct access to the health care provider of their choice.”