Limitations of practice are barriers erected to define the scope of a professional’s authorization to carry out specific activities. These are systems or structures that have a negative impact on the quality of nurse practitioner services. This may have an impact on their ability to make a good change in the healthcare system. One of such barriers or limitations is the reduced license policy, where nurse practitioners (NPs) are subject to supervision by physicians.
In states with Full Practice Authority (FPA), NP license is not based on contracts or connections with physicians, nor is it subject to state medical board scrutiny. North Dakota is one of the states in the US that practices full practice authority or allows full license policy.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), an advocate for full license policy, outlines a few benefits of adopting full license policies. Some of which are;
- NPs are able to contribute more and happily to the healthcare system because full practice authority increases job satisfaction among NPs. And of course, a happy person delivers more.
- Access to healthcare is improved because more independent healthcare providers other than physicians are made available.
- Many studies have shown that NPs provide high-quality care at a lesser cost than physicians.
These benefits and more make full license policy the best policy. In this light, nurses and nurse practitioners in the United States are urged to lend their voices towards advocating for the practice of full license policy. AANP is an agency that fully supports this cause and joining hands with them might be a good start to lend a voice.