The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 underlined the importance of having a flexible and well-used healthcare workforce. The vast range of state rules governing advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) functioned as a roadblock to movement during this period (Buck, 2021). The consensus model for APRN regulation, licensure, accreditation, certification, and education was created in 2008 to establish a consistent regulatory framework for APRNs (Buck, 2021). Despite that fact, different states have adopted minor differences in these regulations throughout the decade, especially in California (Buck, 2021). Thus, it is essential to analyze the current status of APRNs in a different state to specify the disparities with California.
In order to provide examples of the above-mentioned minor differences in California, at least one other state’s APRN should be presented. The elimination of statutory impediments to APRN practice in Minnesota, for instance, was accomplished in 2015 after more than 16 years of deliberate work (Sabo et al., 2017). The establishment of a formal infrastructure called Minnesota APRN Coalition was dedicated to managing financial and communication strategies, cohesion among all four roles of APRNs, engagement of strong legislative authors, and bipartisan support (Sabo et al., 2017). On the other hand, California’s APRNs had no such experience and, for the most part, followed the conventional consensus model (Winter et al., 2021). Consequently, by comparing the two states, it will be possible to determine the difference in the practice created with the participation of third-party organizations and the maximum standardized practice.
Based on the information provided, a comparison can be made based on the information provided by state online platforms. The main difference is that Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) do not require a collaborative management agreement or a written prescribing agreement (“Minnesota Board of Nursing,” 2021). The exceptions are CRNAs who will provide nonsurgical therapies for acute or chronic pain (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2021). There is no clarification of such legal relaxation of practice in California; moreover, there is a need for an online application and subsequent verification for the two groups mentioned above (Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), 2019). From this, one may conclude that Minnesota has established a simplified verification procedure due to third-party organizations. In conclusion, based on the information described above and the comparison made, the verification process is greatly simplified in many states where the APRN has not been standardized.
References
Buck, M. (2021). An update on the consensus model for APRN regulation: More than a decade of progress. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 12(2), 23-33. Web.
Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). (2019). Advanced practice and certification. California Board of Registered Nursing. Web.
Minnesota Board of Nursing (2021). Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) licensed general information. Web.
Sabo, J. A., Chesney, M., Tracy, M. F., & Sendelbach, S. (2017). APRN consensus model implementation: the Minnesota experience. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 8(2), 10-16. Web.
Winter, S., Chapman, S. A., Chan, G. K., Duderstadt, K., & Spetz, J. (2021). Nurse practitioner role and practice environment in primary and in nonprimary care in California. Medical care research and review, 78(6), 780–788. Web.