Legislation lifting archaic restrictions and modernizing Pennsylvania's outdated nursing law attracts bipartisan support
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 17, 2023 - Legislators and nurse practitioners gathered in the Capitol today, as Representative Nancy Guenst (D-Montgomery County) announced that she is introducing legislation in the House of Representatives to grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners (NPs), increasing access to care for the people of Pennsylvania.
"Right now, there are not enough primary care physicians to care for people in Pennsylvania," explained Cheryl Schlamb, president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. "As the shortage of providers grows, nurse practitioners have stepped in, allowing people to get high-quality care and prevent health problems that come from delays. Yet despite the need, an outdated regulatory burden is holding Pennsylvania back by limiting nurse practitioners from providing care. Now is the time to lift that burden and make it easier for patients to access the care they need."
Earlier this session, SB 25 was introduced in the Senate to grant full practice authority to NPs. Representative Guenst's bill will serve as parallel legislation in the House.
"This is common sense legislation," said Representative Guenst. "Twenty-seven states have already implemented the advancement of full practice authority for nurse practitioners and it works. Pennsylvanians deserve access to quality healthcare. With a shortage of physicians and in the midst of a mental health crisis, we need to support legislation that would make more health care providers available for quality treatment."
A recent report by Mercer found that by 2026, an estimated 23,000 primary care physicians will retire, making this challenge even more acute than it is today.
Today, a nurse practitioner in Pennsylvania cannot practice without a signed collaborative agreement with two doctors. Depending on the setting, a nurse practitioner may be asked to pay a monthly or annual fee to a physician to act as a collaborator. If one of the two collaborating physicians retires or leaves, the nurse practitioner must stop seeing patients until another collaborator is identified and the paperwork is completed, adding new costs to the nurse practitioner.
By eliminating that regulation, full practice authority allows nurse practitioners to practice to the full extent of their licensure and education – maximizing their contributions to our struggling healthcare systems – without binding them to an arbitrary agreement with two doctors that does not impact the care a nurse practitioner provides. Full practice authority does not change the current scope of practice of a nurse practitioner, nor does it eliminate the need to collaborate across professions – it simply eliminates a costly, cumbersome agreement between physicians and nurse practitioners.
"Contrary to what some believe, paid collaborating physicians aren't checking the nurse practitioners' charts or necessarily seeing their patients," explained Dr. Marc Watkins, Board President of the Convenient Care Association. "In fact, there are cases where the nurse practitioner only sees or talks with their collaborating physician once a year. By removing a costly regulatory burden, full practice authority empowers NPs to practice at the top of their licensure and education, maximizing their contributions to primary care."
Beyond Pennsylvania, 27 states – including bordering states like Maryland, New York, and Delaware – currently grant nurse practitioners full practice authority, making them more attractive places for nurse practitioners to live and work.
In addition to Guenst, Schlamb, and Watkins, speakers at the event included Representative Tarik Khan, who is a nurse practitioner himself; SB 25 sponsors Senators Camera Bartolotta and Lisa Boscola; Bill Johnston-Walsh, State Director of AARP; Ashley Klingensmith, State Director of Americans for Prosperity; and PCNP President-Elect Amanda Laskoskie, along with nurse practitioners from across the state.
About the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners
PCNP is the state organization that promotes and protects the practice of almost 18,000 Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (CRNPs) in Pennsylvania. With 17 regional groups across the Commonwealth, the organization advocates for affordable, accessible quality health care, provides continuing education programs for Nurse Practitioners, and promotes the practice of CRNPs through legislative and regulatory processes. Learn more by visiting PACNP.org.
Kelley Denny, 412-352-9240
media@dennycivicsolutions.com
SOURCE Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners
