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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/24/2024 04:33 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20210&cosponId=33131
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 4, 2020 05:27 PM
From: Senator Camera Bartolotta
To: All Senate members
Subject: Modernization of the Professional Nursing Law
 
In the near future, I will reintroduce legislation to modernize the Professional Nursing Law for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). This measure will mirror Senate Bill 25 from last session.

My legislation will expand access to high-quality health care by removing archaic restrictions on APRNs that no longer reflect modern medicine and the delivery of health care. Under the bill, the State Board of Nursing is to establish an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse-Certified Nurse Practitioner (APRN-CNP) license in areas of expertise consistent with training and focus. This replaces the current state certification requirement.

Additionally, after meeting a three-year, 3,600-hour physician collaboration requirement, APRN-CNPs will be permitted to practice to the full extent of their education and training by removing the requirement for a formal collaborative agreement currently required for them to practice and write prescriptions. This, combined with the new licensing standard, will allow APRN-CNPs to provide health care in an environment free from unnecessary administrative burdens that have outlived their usefulness.

A significant number of Pennsylvanians, including numerous residents in my district, live in areas underserved by our current health care delivery system. The reasons for this are many, but allowing certified nurse practitioners to provide primary care should be an easy – and obvious – approach to addressing part of this problem. That was true when I sponsored this bill at the beginning of last session, and it is more true now given the current pandemic. 

Twenty-two other states and the District of Columbia currently allow nurse practitioners full practice authority. Please consider cosponsoring this legislation which will help position our Commonwealth to follow suit and meet the growing health care needs for Pennsylvania.
 


Introduced as SB25