Aacp In Nursing

Nursing is one of the most influential disciplines in medicine. [1] The current agenda among many nursing advocates is to promote a uniform scope of practice code. By encouraging all state boards to adopt the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) hopes to increase health care quality among underserved populations. While sticking points vary among state legislatures, the following nine laws and regulations exemplify a few of the issues in question.

Issue 1: Nurse Practitioners’ (NPs’) Authority to Certify Patients as Home Health Care Eligible

Per Medicaid authorizes nurse practitioners to refer patients to specialists only with physician approval. [2] The physicians must provide documentation,
However, Nurse Practitioners do no qualify for the incentive, thereby rendering the incentive program ineffective for communities serviced by independent NPs. The AANP implores Congress to include private practice NPs in the Medicaid incentive scheme.

Issue 4: NPs’ Authority to Certify Hospice Care

Current regulations allow Nurse Practitioners to recertify patients for hospice care, but NPs cannot issue initial certification. For this, a physician must assess the patient at additional cost. The AANP appeals to Congress to authorize NPs to make Medicare eligible initial hospice care assessments.

Issue 5: Medicare Approval for Independent Nurse Practitioner Medical Staff Participation

Medicare excludes NPs from participating in managed hospital teams, effectively eliminating nurse specialists for consideration for primary care roles. A national uniform practitioner assessment system that considers NPs for service will benefit patients and service providers. As such, the AANP promotes Medicare NP certification to provide timely patient care and allow nurse specialists to compete in the health insurance
To support community wellness, legislators must protect the programs from spending cuts. The AANP recognizes that advanced practice training, clinical training and nurse educator programs require continued fiscal support to serve America’s health care needs.

Issue 7: Stalled Veteran’s Administration NP Practice Scope Expansion

The Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) and Congress have allowed plans to allow Nurse Practitioners to deliver medical services the full scope of their abilities for veteran clients to stall. More than 5,000 independent NPs deliver primary health care services to United States veterans through the VHA network.

The organization is well aware of scientific studies that prove that NP service is as effective as physician treatment. Resuming the process of expanding the NP practice scope among VHA services will increase health care access for United States veterans.

Issue 8: Medicare Excludes Independent NP From ACO Participation

Although Medicare recognizes independent Nurse Practitioners as “Accountable Care Organization” professionals, the agency does not accept independent NP clients into ACO programs, requiring a physician to reassess patients before