AARP Commends Passage of Bills Pertaining to Scope of Nursing

Senate Bills 57 and 101 passed the Senate during the 2015 legislative session in Delaware. The two bills, both pertaining to Nursing Scope of Practice, were signed by Governor Markell on September 1st. AARP commends these two bills because they improve access to care and expand consumer choice.

AARP believes that Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) should use all their skills and training to care for patients, especially older people who need to receive care at home to continue living independently – and stay out of costly nursing homes. AARP supports bills like these which work toward removing outdated barriers to nursing practice.

Senate Bills 57 and 101 allow APRNs to better serve patients when and where they need care. The bills update and clearly define the role and title of APRNs and pave the pathway for more autonomy for APRNs.

Senate Bill 101 was written so that nurse practitioners could use all their skills and training to care for patients. It creates a new Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Committee to assist the Board of Nursing in the regulation of nursing practice consistent with the national Consensus Model for APRN regulation. The bill includes provisions and requirements for collaborations among APRN’s and licensed physicians, podiatrists, or licenses Delaware health care delivery systems.

Senate Bill 57 modernizes the abbreviated title of Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and it updates the renewal requirements for licensure. It also clarifies prescription requirements.

APRNs provide high-quality primary and preventive health care for Delawareans. Many of their patients reside in rural and inner-city areas with a shortage of health care providers. Currently, about one-third of Delaware’s population is age 50-plus. The U.S. Census Bureau anticipates this demographic will grow by more than 130,000 by 2030. The demand for primary and preventive care is growing fast, and APRNs can help meet that demand with these bills that remove barriers to practice. APRNs can help meet the growing demand for primary and preventive care.