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As Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) continue to transform healthcare, a spotlight has been placed on regulatory processes that stand to impact state and federal policies as well as patient outcomes. At the national level, the APRN Consensus Model remains a topic of conversation, given the promise of it being a regulatory framework that could greatly benefit APRNs in many ways, including enhancing autonomy across the country. At the state level, the New York Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act continues to impact NYS NPs and patient outcomes in a variety of ways as the conversation surrounding Full Practice Authority carries on around the country.
The APRN Consensus Model framework establishes uniform regulation surrounding licensure, roles, certification, education, and accreditation for APRNs and identifies four APRN roles, including Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) (NCSBN, 2023). The Consensus Model calls for independent practice and prescribing for APRNs who meet all other criteria for postgraduate education, licensure, and national certification. By creating uniformity, supporters of this model propose that it will increase license portability between states, provide consistency in APRN title recognition, champion full practice authority, increase patients' access to care, and ensure uniformity in education, certification, and licensure (Davis et al., 2024).
The effects that complete implementation of the APRN Consensus Model could have on health outcomes is staggering. By ensuring recognition of the APRN title in all 50 states, the few states that currently fail to recognize CRNAs would immediately expand patients' access to care (Davis et al., 2024). Standardizing certification and education regulation helps build trust between APRNs and the public, which leads to better patient confidence in their providers. By promoting full practice authority, on the basis of this uniform regulatory process, health care systems are able to run more efficiently, patients receive timely care, and APRNs are able to provide access to care in underserved areas (Davis et al., 2024).
The New York Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act (NPMA) builds on the national regulatory framework. Prior to the NPMA, collaborative agreements with physicians were required for all practicing NPs in NYS, regardless of experience level. The NPMA removed the requirement for NPs with more than 3,600 hours of practice, which supports professional autonomy and did lead to a small increase in the rate of hire of NPs into primary practice, especially in underserved areas (Martsolf et al., 2023).
Ultimately, both the APRN Consensus Model and the NPMA directly influence health outcomes as they result in increased availability of primary care services. Research has repeatedly shown comparable outcomes when APRN-led care is compared to physician-led care for the bulk of primary care services (Martsolf et al., 2023). When rigorous standards are imposed at the national level, unnecessary restrictions can be removed, allowing provider shortages to be addressed without compromising on the quality or safety of the care provided. The Consensus Model provides that rigorous regulatory and educational foundation for APRN practice and NPMA takes those standards and transforms them into a policy that enhances patient outcomes by improving their access to healthcare. Need Assignment Help?
References:
Davis, W., Stanley, J., Buck, M., Walters, E., & DeGarmo, S. (2024). LACE and the APRN consensus model: Implications for advancing nursing practice. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 35(1), 20-28.