By: Chase Howard
In March, the Florida Legislature passed multiple bills that would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) to practice independently of physicians in the delivery of primary care practice. The law, however, went into full effect on July 1. Still, the law did not automatically grant autonomous practice to all nurse practitioners. Rather, an application process is still needed, as well as final regulations governing the new law.
In June, the Florida Board of Nursing voted to move forward with the drafting of rules and the application process to be designated as an independent practice Nurse Practitioner. This process usually takes three months to complete before it is open for practitioners to apply. The Board also voted to define “primary care practice” to include “health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, counseling, patient education, and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in a variety of healthcare settings.”
Until final rules are decided, a nurse practitioner will at least need to meet the following requirements:Continue reading
