Create a response and explain how the regulatory environment and the regulations selected by your colleague differ from your state/region. Be specific and provide examples.
My state is Tennessee
Every state in the United States of America, including Florida and Texas, has a Board of Nursing (BON) with the primary mandate of protecting the public by controlling the practice of nursing (Short, 2022). These regulations encompass aspects of practice, the license itself, and the roles and responsibilities the nurses are legally allowed to perform
I currently live in Florida, so that is where I will start. According to Florida’s requirements, APRNs must have a graduate-level education in the chosen role and population focus, be nationally certified, and meet their continuing education requirements to practice (Florida Board of Nursing, 2024). Florida regulates and empowers APRNs by approving full practice without physician collaboration in diagnosing, treating patients, or prescribing medications (Florida Board of Nursing, 2024). On the other hand, compared to other states in this instance, I chose Texas, which has limited regulations regarding these activities. Medical APRNs must also complete graduate-level programs and get national certification in Texas (Texas Board of Nursing, 2024). However, Texas restricts APRNs from diagnosing and treating patients because they have to work under the supervision of a physician (Texas Board of Nursing, 2024). Also, a key factor affecting the practice of APRNs is that they must have a written prescriptive authority agreement with a physician in their training to be allowed to prescribe medication.
Currently, APRNs can practice independently in Florida without collaboration with a physician (Short, 2022). Therefore, they can fully practice in accordance with their education and training and enhance access to health care, especially in rural areas. For instance, an APRN in Florida can own a clinic and work independently to offer primary care to communities, especially those in rural areas where there is a possibility of a lack of physicians (Florida Board of Nursing, 2024). However, the requirement of physician collaboration can limit the independent practice of APRNs in Texas to the extent of their education and training (Texas Board of Nursing, 2024). An APRN in Texas might encounter some complications if the supervising physician relinquishes the practice or relocates to another area; this may affect the care of the patients (Texas Board of Nursing, 2024). However, they can offer various healthcare services in Texas due to restrictive collaborative practice agreements imposed on them.
References
Florida Board of Nursing. (2024). Florida board of nursing: Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Florida Board of Nursing – Licensing, Renewals & Information. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://floridasnursing.gov/nursing-faqs/advanced- practice-registered-nurse-aprn/#:
Short, N. M. (2022). Milstead’s health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Texas Board of Nursing. (2024). Rules and Guidelines Governing the Graduate Vocational Moreover, Registered Nurse Candidates or Newly Licensed Vocational or Registered Nurse. Welcome to the Texas Board of Nursing Website. Retrieved June 24, 2024,
from https://www.bon.texas.gov/practice_guidelines.asp.html
