The APRN designation

APRNs are licensed registered nurses who have earned a graduate degree at the master’s or doctorate level and achieved national advanced practice certification for their specific practice area. The APRN designation includes Nurse Practitioners, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Certified Nurse Midwives, Psychiatric Certified Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists. Florida law requires APRNs to practice within a collaboration protocol with a physician or dentist.

State laws regulating nurse practitioners in Florida are among the strictest in the nation. Florida law requires that nurse practitioners are supervised by physicians. While the supervising physician does not need to be available to the NP in person he/she must be available by phone for consultation. State law also requires that patients be notified when the physician will and will not be present in the clinic.  (Practitioners, 2015). These hours must be conspicuously posted in each office staffed by nurse practitioners and supervised by a physician so patients are aware when the MD will be on site.  There is no minimum amount of time the physician must be present in the clinic, they must simply alert patients if the supervising MD is off site. Rules for specialty clinics are even stricter in Florida.  Physicians in specialty practice may supervise nurse practitioners at only one location in addition to their primary practice and these clinics must be no more than 75 miles apart. Rules for specialty clinics are even stricter in Florida.  Physicians in specialty practice may supervise nurse practitioners at only one location in addition to their primary practice and these clinics must be no more than 75 miles apart.

APRNs are proven to provide effective and high-quality patient care. A review of studies published over the past 18 years demonstrate comparable performance between nurse practitioners and primary care physicians on clinical outcomes, including reduction of symptoms and overall health improvement. Patients seen by nurse practitioners also report higher rates of satisfaction. In addition, APRNs are more readily recruited to states that authorize full practice. Full scope of practice regulation is associated with a higher supply of nurse practitioners in rural areas and counties facing health-professional shortages. (Practitioners, 2015)

References

Practitioners, A. A. (2015, October 09). Scope of Practice for Nurse Practitioners . Retrieved from AANP American Association of Nurse Practitioners: https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/advocacy-resource/position-statements/scope-of-practice-for-nurse-practitioners