Nurses heal. Red tape doesn’t.

AARP is fighting to improve North Carolinians access to affordable health care, in their communities, by cutting through the bureaucratic red tape that prevents nurse practitioners—and all advanced practice registered nurses—from doing their jobs.
Right now, 28 states including North Carolina still have archaic rules that restrict nurse practitioners from using all their skills and training to provide primary and preventive care, including:

• routine health care such as diagnosing and treating patients
• management of chronic conditions
• ordering lab tests
• prescribing medications
• performing annual exams
• and much, much more

  

AARP State President Catherine Sevier, herself an advanced practice nurse and Doctor of Public Health, said, “North Carolinians should be able to get the health care they need, from qualified health care professionals, including nurse practitioners, when and where they need it.”

Sevier reminds state policymakers about the qualifications of these professionals. “Keep in mind, nurse practitioners have Master’s or Doctoral degrees and advanced training, so they can give patients the care we count on. With modernized state rules, patients, family caregivers and our loved ones will have a better opportunity to receive the care they need, when and where they need it. And, yes, this means at home and in our communities, not hours away in a car or ambulance.”

AARP North Carolina State Director Doug Dickerson in an Action Alert to AARP members said, “Many North Carolinians have seen nurse practitioners for routine care, and say  care has been good or excellent.  State experts say that soon there will not be enough primary care providers to handle the increasing number of patients who are seeking routine health care services; nurse practitioners can bridge that gap.

Recognizing the role of nurses has been changing, and advanced practice nurses are highly trained, the NC House of Representatives Health Committee is considering modernizing the nursing practice through House Bill H88. We need to get this bill through the Committee and we can’t do it without your support.

Take Action

Please call and email these legislators and tell them to let nurses do more healing and vote YES on H88.

Sign up to get involved and help AARP cut the red tape.