Peer Betty Hyunjung Kim Discussion: The Regulations For Adva

Peer 1betty Hyunjung Kimdiscussionthe Regulations For Advanced Practic

Peer 1betty Hyunjung Kim discussion the Regulations For Advanced Practic

Peer 1 Betty Hyunjung Kim Discussion The regulations for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses in California and Georgia share similarities and differences. These regulations were obtained from the California Board of Registered Nursing and Rules and regulation of the state of Georgia (n.d.), respectively. For education and experience, to adhere to this regulation, an APRN in both states must complete a graduate or postgraduate level program in their chosen nursing specialty. For instance, if a student wishes to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in either California or Georgia, they should seek out and complete specific programs that focus on anesthesia. Striving for additional education, such as a doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia, would also help APRN exceed the minimum requirements, keeping them competitive and updated on the current methods and research in their field.

For Practice Agreement, in Georgia, an APRN must have a protocol agreement with a collaborating physician to practice and for prescriptive authority. This means that all major decisions regarding patient care and medication must go through the collaborating physician, potentially resulting in a time delay for the start of treatment. In contrast, California allows Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to operate independently but requires collaboration or a standardized protocol with a physician when prescribing medication. This requirement for collaboration or standardized protocols with physicians aligns with the findings of (Schorn et al., 2022), and (Germack, 2020), who highlighted that in states with reduced practice authority for APRNs, practice must occur in collaboration with or under the supervision of a physician, limiting their ability to engage fully in independent practice (Schorn et al., 2022; Germack, 2020).

Additionally, Schirle and McCabe (2016) noted that there are variations in opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions between independent and non-independent APRN prescribing states, indicating the impact of state regulations on prescribing practices (Schirle & McCabe, 2016). Furthermore, Barnes et al. (2016) categorized states based on their level of restrictiveness, with implications for healthcare delivery and access, emphasizing the influence of regulation and payment policies on APRN clinical practices, including prescribing authority (Barnes et al., 2016). The variation in practice agreements between states highlights the impact of regulatory policies on the autonomy and prescribing authority of APRNs.

The findings from various studies suggest that the variation in practice agreements between states has a significant impact on the autonomy and prescribing authority of APRNs. The requirement for collaboration or standardized protocols with physicians in California reflects the broader landscape of APRN practice across the United States, where regulatory and payment policies significantly influence their clinical practices and autonomy. It is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders to consider these implications when evaluating and shaping regulations surrounding APRN practice, with the ultimate goal of optimizing patient care and improving access to healthcare services.

References

  • Barnes, H., Maier, C., Sarik, D., Germack, H., Aiken, L., & McHugh, M. (2016). Effects of regulation and payment policies on nurse practitioners’ clinical practices. Medical Care Research and Review, 74(4).
  • California Board of Registered Nursing. (2019). Nurse practitioners: Laws & regulations [PDF].
  • Germack, H. D. (2020). States should remove barriers to advanced practice registered nurse prescriptive authority to increase access to treatment for opioid use disorder. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 22(2), 85–92.
  • Rules and regulations of the state of Georgia. (n.d.). Regulation of advanced practice registered nurses.
  • Schirle, L., & McCabe, B. E. (2016). State variation in opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions between independent and nonindependent advanced practice registered nurse prescribing states. Nursing Outlook, 64(1), 86–93.
  • Schorn, M. N., Myers, C., Barroso, J., Hande, K., Hudson, T., Kim, J., & Kleinpell, R. (2022). Results of a national survey: Ongoing barriers to aprn practice in the united states. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 23(2), 118–129.