-- Support the state role in health care licensure to protect consumers by
ensuring safe and competent providers, and include nurse regulators at the
discussion and implementation table to facilitate the smooth transition of
reform.
-- Maximize the use of all licensed health care providers by supporting
overlapping scopes of practice. As scopes of practice evolve, changes
should be supported, provided care can be delivered in a safe, effective
and efficient manner. For example, advanced practice registered nurses
(APRNs) can safely and effectively deliver primary care, anesthesia and
midwifery services.
-- Support state implementation of the new APRN licensure model that was
developed on a national level, through consensus, with the involvement of
all major nursing stakeholders. This new licensure model will increase the
mobility of APRNs across state lines and increase access to care.
-- Adopt throughout federal law utilization of the term "qualified,
licensed provider" to support the emerging roles in health care practice
and delivery, rather than only using the term "physician."
-- Encourage Congress to review the existing federal oversight of CNAs.
Several states also regulate CNAs and a coordinated, state-based approach
to regulating this health care role could more effectively protect the
public across all settings, instead of solely in long-term care or home
health care, according to federal law.
NCSBN is a resource for all health care reform efforts. NCSBN is currently
building a national licensure database to which the majority of state
boards of nursing now belong. This database will be able to identify an
unduplicated count of the actual number of actively licensed nurses in the
U.S. This database will also be made available to relevant state and
federal agencies for licensure verification in times of disaster, at no
cost in the future.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit
organization whose members include the boards of nursing in the 50 states,
the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories -- American Samoa, Guam,
Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. The College of Registered
Nurses of British Columbia is an associate member.
Mission: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), composed
of Member Boards, provides leadership to advance regulatory excellence for
public protection.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900 Chicago, IL 60601-4277
Contact Information: Contact: Dawn M. Kappel Director, Marketing and Communications 312.525.3667 direct 312.279.1034 fax Media inquiries may be directed to the contact listed above. Policy and Government Relations inquiries may be directed to: Kristin Hellquist Director, Policy and Government Relations