Greater Practice Authority for Nurses

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) can make a huge difference in health care for patients in rural areas where doctors are few and far between. But without authority to perform certain medical tasks, these highly skilled nurses are hamstrung.

West Virginia legislators passed a law in March that allows APRNs to use their education and training to better advantage. Previously, these nurses were required to have an ongoing collaborative agreement with a physician in order to perform certain tasks. Under the new law—backed by AARP West Virginia—APRNs can practice independently after three years of collaboration. That change eases hurdles for both APRNs and patients when a physician moves away or if there are too few doctors to begin with.

As patients age, proximity to care becomes more important for both acute and chronic conditions. For more information, go to aarp.org/wv.