PENNSYLVANIA — The state Senate voted in June to give nurse practitioners full practice authority.
In order to practice in Pennsylvania currently, a NP must secure business contracts, called collaborative agreements, with two physicians. Research has indicated this can restrict access to care and correlates to worse patient health outcomes.
Similar legislation has passed in 22 other states. Senate Bill 25 and House Bill 100 require a transition to practice where each new NP must work three years and have 3,600 hours in a clinical setting prior to earning Full Practice Authority as regulated by the State Board of Nursing.
