Advanced Practice Registered Nurses in Missouri

Support House Bill 165 and Senate Bill 42

This year’s APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurses) Bill is in agreement with core Republican principles of reducing the size of government by removing regulations which are not cost effective and are over burdensome.  The current regulatory processes in Missouri which APRNs function under are very over burdensome and many are not supported with evidenced based research which proves that those regulations improve the quality of the healthcare provided.  For example:   The mileage restriction—there is no evidence which shows this requirement improves care.  In the current times of which we live, modern technology has advanced to the point that makes a physical location and mileage not a valid requirement to ensure there is communication between the APRN and physician.  We all advocate for the increased utilization of telehealth, why not utilize telehealth with an APRN nearby to the patient??  

One of the primary core responsibilities of government is to provide for the safety and well-being of the people.   Having a licensure process/requirement in place for physicians, nurses, physical therapists and such does make sense.  This is a way government ensures these individuals are doing what they hold themselves out to be in a way that does not harm the public.  Not having a licensure process in place for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses does not make sense when every other step in the healthcare provider continuum has a license.   

Government should make sense; our current regulatory process for APRNs does not.  HB 165 and SB 42 will bring back continuity, common sense, provide clarity where ambiguity currently exists and most of all reduce the cost to healthcare by removing barriers to accessing healthcare for Missourians.   

Did you know that in 109 of Missouri counties there is less than one primary care physician for 3,000 people and/or there are no primary care provider services within 30 minutes of travel time??

Missourians need better access to healthcare!!

Nurse Practitioners can help people access healthcare!

Of the 114 counties in Missouri, 109 are considered Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas.  This means there is less than one primary care physician for 3,000 people and/or there are not primary care services within 30 minutes of travel time.  Missourians need better access to healthcare than this!!  I am working to see that Missourians have better access to healthcare!  Healthcare is important to all individuals and if people cannot even find a healthcare provider we all have a problem!

Nurse Practitioners are healthcare individuals who have obtained graduate education, post-master’s certificates and doctoral degrees.  The clinical competencies and professional development are hallmarks of Nurse Practitioner education.  Nurse Practitioners are accountable in a manner that is consistent with an ethical code of conduct, national certification, periodic peer review, clinical outcomes evaluation and evidence of continued professional development. 

Nurse Practitioners can help provide Missourians in these shortage areas with highly qualified and competent healthcare providers while also, over a 10 year period, provide a cost savings of an estimated $1.6 Billion to the state and individual Missourians.  Let’s work together to reduce regulations that keep Missourians from accessing high quality healthcare and allow Nurse Practitioners to help meet the healthcare needs of Missourians while will also saving Missouri and Missourians money!