Nurses care
In every other state, advanced practice nurses are allowed to provide care to the fullest extent of their education.
However, Pennsylvania’s archaic laws don’t keep pace with current standards and block patient access to primary care nurses. For patients, this means more cost for less care.
Gov. Rendell proposes to get us in step with the rest of the nation in his “Prescription for Pennsylvania.” This plan will improve access to primary care, reduce costs and maintain high standards if nurses are allowed to deliver the care they’re trained to provide. A medical practice virtually doubles the number of patients treated when one nurse practitioner joins the staff.
The Pennsylvania State Nurses Association urges the public to contact legislators and demand that the commonwealth adopt the same regulations as the rest of the nation. Pennsylvania’s 200,000 nurses are ready and willing to help. Together we can improve patient access to care.
Laura A. KlingHempfield
The writer is president-elect of the Pennsylvania Association of PeriAnesthesia Nurses.