Scope of Practice - Nurse Practitioners

29 January 2010
The NP scope expansion bill, SB 263, will be heard by the Health Licensing subcommittee of the Senate Education and Health Committee on February 4.  MSV urges members to reach out to members of the Committee in opposition of the bill.   Click here to send a message to your senator.

15 January 2010
Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-31st, Arlington) introduced SB 263, which would transfer licensure authority for nurse practitioners (NPs) from the Joint Board of Medicine and Nursing to the Board of Nursing alone. This bill would also eliminate the requirement that NPs practice under the supervision of a physician, moving toward a type of independent practice NPs have labeled "collaboration." MSV opposes this scope of practice expansion for NPs.

MSV Position

• In recent years a variety of ancillary health care providers have sought to expand their scope of practice; from changes to their medical supervisory arrangements, to being granted prescriptive authority, or to being granted licensure or independent practice.
• MSV has monitored perennial scope of practice issues advanced by groups representing nurse practioners, naturopaths, chiropractors, physician assistants, podiatrists, and lay midwives.
• MSV is committed to working with ancillary health care providers to assess the impact on patient care and quality before offering our support or opposition.