Nurse practitioners are a vital part of the health community and many times serve in areas where there is the greatest need in underserved communities.

28 states, Washington DC, and U.S. territories Guam and Northern Mariana Islands allow full practice authority for nurse practitioners.

Per the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners:

“Across the nation, the requirements for NP education, program accreditation and board certification are consistent with national standards. To become an NP, one must hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, be licensed as a registered nurse (RN), graduate from a nationally accredited graduate NP program that meets national standards for advanced didactic and clinical education and pass a national NP board certification exam. Despite these national standards within nursing, there is inconsistency in how state laws and legislative bodies authorize (license) NP practice in states.

In FPA states, NP licensure is not contingent on unnecessary contracts or relationships with a physician or oversight by the state medical board. As a result, studies show that in FPA states, NPs are more likely to practice in rural and underserved areas and have improved NP workforce recruitment, while meeting the highest care quality and safety standards. States that restrict or reduce NPs’ ability to practice by limiting licensure authority are more closely associated with geographic health care disparities, higher chronic disease burden, primary care shortages, higher costs of care and lower standing on national health rankings.

How will full practice impact patients and NP practice?

Adopting FPA for NPs provides patients with full and direct access to all the services that NPs are equipped to provide.

Improves Access — FPA creates greater access to care, especially in underserved urban and rural areas. States with FPA are more likely to have NPs working in rural and underserved areas and NP practices than states with more restrictive licensure models.

Streamlines Care and Makes Care Delivery More Efficient — FPA provides patients with full and direct access to NPs' services at the point of care. FPA removes delays in care that are created when dated regulations require an NP be part of an unnecessary regulatory-mandated contract with a physician as a condition of practicing their profession.

Decreases Costs — FPA avoids duplication of services and billing costs associated with outdated physician oversight of NP practice. FPA reduces unnecessary repetition of orders, office visits and care services.

Protects Patient Choice — FPA allows patients to see the health care provider of their choice. FPA removes anti-competitive licensing restrictions that interfere with patient-centered health care.“ (AANP.org)

Please help in signing this petition to bring the attention to the need for more consistent national standards for nurse practitioners; and as a display of solidarity to our Georgia state representatives that have struck this initiative down in the last years for the NPs of Georgia!