Requiring NPs to have a written practice agreement with a physician is 'an obstacle' to providing care to New Yorkers, governor says.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's 2022 State of the State proposal eliminating the requirement for nurse practitioners (NPs) to have a written practice agreement with a physician is being applauded by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP).
"Requirements will be waived for nurse practitioners to have a written practice agreement with a physician, which is an obstacle that stands in the way of nurse practitioners providing the maximum amount of care to New Yorkers," the State of the State proposal states.
"New York's health workforce is filled with tremendously talented professionals," Hochul's proposal reads. "We should leverage the growing skills of the workers already caring for New Yorkers to provide even more care when it is needed most."
Full practice authority legislation has been adopted in 24 states, streamlining healthcare delivery by granting patients full and direct access to the comprehensive services NPs are educated and clinically prepared to provide.
Granting full practice authority bolsters efforts to reduce healthcare disparities and increase health equity.
"AANP applauds Gov. Kathy Hochul for recognizing that New York residents deserve to have better access to the healthcare provider of their choice," says April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, president of AANP.
"For the past two years, patients have experienced full and direct access to the services NPs provide as executive orders waived unnecessary requirements for NPs to maintain a collaborative relationship in order to care for patients," Kapu says. "Gov. Hochul’s State of the State specifically calls out her desire to permanently remove this obstacle for New Yorkers accessing healthcare."
Support for full practice authority is growing. The National Academy of Medicine's The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report recommends that nurses be allowed to "practice to the full extent of their education and training by removing barriers that prevent them from more fully addressing social needs and social determinants of health and improving healthcare access, quality, and value."
The report also suggests that federal authority should be used to supersede restrictive scope of practice state laws.
The American Medical Association and other physician groups, however, argue collaborations are needed for patient safety.
The last two years has proven otherwise, Kapu says.
"New York has test driven this regulatory model for two years and it’s been successful. It's a step in the right direction to see the governor make removing unnecessary regulation and increasing access to care priorities in her agenda."
“Requirements will be waived for nurse practitioners to have a written practice agreement with a physician, which is an obstacle that stands in the way of nurse practitioners providing the maximum amount of care to New Yorkers.”
State of the State proposal
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's 2022 State of the State proposal eliminates the requirement for NPs to have a written practice agreement with a physician.
Full practice authority legislation has been adopted in 24 states.
AANP calls the move "a step in the right direction."