Nurse Practitioners Want Freedom from Supervising Doctors

Last year in the State of New York midwives obtained the ability to practice their craft without the supervision of physicians. This year nurse practitioners are seeking the same freedom.

Pending Legislation in New York

There is currently a proposed bill before the New York State Legislature that would eliminate the requirement that nurse practitioners have to work under the supervision of doctors. In the event this statute is passed New York would join sixteen other states and the District of Columbia in freeing nurse practitioners from the supervision of physicians.

Seth Gordon, the president of the Nurse Practitioners Association in New York stated “without that restriction, nurse practitioners would be free to enter into their own practices and practice?”

Nurse Practitioners

A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has obtained a masters degree and had advanced medical training. They are currently allowed to make a medical diagnosis and they can also prescribe prescription drugs. Presently a nurse practitioner must have a collaborative agreement with a practicing physician. This requires the doctor to review the nurse practitioner’s cases every ninety days. However, the review can be as minimal as the doctor simply looking at one of the nurse practitioner’s patient charts.

Nurse practitioners feel that the review is unnecessary. The New York Medical Society opposes the statute which would allow nurse practitioners to practice without the supervision of physicians. Nurse practitioner argue that removing the physicians supervision requirement would enable more nurse practitioners to have solo practices. They claim this would fill the gap in areas where there aren’t enough practicing physicians.

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