California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper

Discussion

I live in California, a state with specific regulations governing nurse practitioners (NPs). California requires NPs to have physician collaboration or supervision. The state defines NPs’ scope of practice but imposes several restrictions. To become a certified and licensed APRN in California, one must complete a Master’s or Doctoral program, pass a national certification exam in their specialty, and then apply to the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). The application process is rigorous, including a criminal background check and fingerprinting. California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper

The California BRN website is the primary resource for information and applications. The state’s scope of practice defines NPs as healthcare providers who diagnose and manage medical conditions. However, it limits the scope, particularly regarding controlled substances. California requires NPs to have a standardized procedure or protocol with a supervising physician, outlining patient management. NPs may prescribe medications under this agreement, but controlled substances, Schedule II-IV, require an additional federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license (California Board of Registered Nursing, n.d). California does have a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) to track controlled substance prescriptions. NPs can prescribe Schedule II-V drugs with certain restrictions, but Schedule II medications have stricter regulations. California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper

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Barriers to NP independent practice in California include the supervisory requirement, limited controlled substance authority, and competition for collaborative agreements with physicians (California Healthcare Foundation, 2019). These regulations hinder NPs from providing more accessible and efficient healthcare services, especially in underserved areas. Surprisingly, California maintains stringent regulations despite the ongoing national trend towards granting NPs more autonomy. This could impact healthcare access, especially in rural regions where physicians are scarce, and NPs could play a more significant role in delivering care. The state might benefit from reevaluating its NP regulations to align more closely with the changing healthcare landscape.

 References

California Board of Registered Nursing. (n.d). Nursing Practice Act. https://www.rn.ca.gov/practice/npa.shtml

California Healthcare Foundation. (2019). California’s Nurse Practitioners: How Scope of Practice Laws. https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/NursePractitionerScopePracticeLaws. California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper

*****I live in California******

Identify whether your state requires physician collaboration or supervision for nurse practitioners, and if so, what those requirements are.
Research the following:
How do you get certified and licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in your state?
What is the application process for certification in your state?
What is your state’s board of nursing website?
How does your state define the scope of practice of a nurse practitioner?
What is included in your state practice agreement?
How do you get a DEA license?
Does your state have a prescription monitoring program (PMP)? California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper
How does your state describe a nurse practitioner’s controlled-substance prescriptive authority, and what nurse practitioner drug schedules are nurse practitioners authorized to prescribe?

Post a summary of your findings on your state based on the questions listed above. Explain the types of regulations that exist and the barriers that may impact nurse practitioner independent practice in your state. Be specific. Also, describe what surprised you from your research. California Board of Registered Nursing Essay Discussion Paper