ARNPs desire independent practice
During each of the past two legislative sessions, the advanced registered nurse practitioners have introduced legislation which would allow them to practice completely autonomously, including prescribing, making medical diagnoses, and ordering medical tests and interventions. KMS, the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine and the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians have consistently worked to oppose such an expansion and instead advocated the currently accepted structure of collaboration.
Advanced-practice nurses -- a group that includes nurse practitioners and nurse midwives – have on an annual basis introduced legislation allowing NPs to independently perform medical diagnosis and to prescribe medical, therapeutic, and corrective measures including prescribing authority. NPs argue they would be working within their training and be filling a void that is being left by a growing physician shortage and the need expand access to health care services.
By 2015, the American Assn. of Colleges of Nursing will require its approximately 200 member schools that offer advanced degrees to also offer a doctorate of nursing program. Nurse-doctorates consider themselves primary care practitioners qualified to diagnose and treat patients.
While it is not expected that the ARNP's will offer any legislation for consideration in the 2011 session, we continue to monitor this situation on an ongoing basis. KMS will also continue to oppose any legislation which expands the scope of practice of a nurse practitioner to the functional equivalent of independent and unrestricted practice of medicine. KMS, consistent with policies adopted by our House of Delegates, believes that nurses should still be part of a physician-led team and instead advocates collaboration between NPs and physicians to meet growing demands for primary care.
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