Currently, NPs — and certified nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists — in Pennsylvania have to submit a collaborative agreement that includes two physicians’ signatures, according to the report. The proposed bill would remove that necessity for NPs.
Currently, 17 states and Washington, D.C. allow NPs to practice without any type of physician oversight. Proponents of practice independence for NPs say the healthcare providers can help alleviate the looming physician shortage.
Physician groups in Pennsylvania oppose the bill, advocating instead for team-based care led by physicians, since physicians have the most extensive training, according to the report.
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