In the present healthcare environment, the role of nurses as a crucial element of the system is increasingly recognized. As such registered nurses often rely on Advanced Practice degrees in pursuit of independent provision of care. According to Schober (2018) their ability to promote accessible and safer care is acknowledge internationally, and new opportunities for nurses arise. In order to meet the requirements of independent practice, the usual procedure comprises a postgraduate degree that helps nurses reach a new level of expertise on the solid foundation obtained previously. Having complete the stage of education, advanced practice nurses are able to commence the new phase of their careers. However, in the case of the United States, the exact nature of advanced nursing practice may vary across different states.
For example, Texas is one of the territories where APRN practitioners benefit from the independent practice opportunities. More specifically, this state’s Nursing Practice Act introduces a possibility of independent work for an advanced practice nurse who meets the primary requirements. In order to obtain this status, an educated professional needs to complete licensing and certification procedures that will provide them with the required credentials (Texas Board of Nursing, 2021). The situation is different in California where advanced practice nurses cannot work without a physician’s supervision as per the Nursing Practice Act. Major changes are projected for the near future, as APRNs will be released from compulsory supervision in 2023 (California Board of Professional Nursing, 2021). However, the present-day situation remains the same. Another key difference between Texas and California consists of the APRN’s prescriptive authority. In the first case, while nurses can be independent practitioners, their prescriptive authority is to be delegated by a physician. In California, the lack of independence translates into the compulsory participation of a physician or a surgeon in all prescriptions.
References
California Board of Professional Nursing. (2021). Nursing Practice Act.
Schober, M. (2018). Global emergence of nurse practitioner/advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(4), 182–184.
Texas Board of Nursing. (2021). Nursing Practice Act.