New Freedoms For APRNs
Effective immediately, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are now allowed full practice authority provided they meet certain education and training requirements. On September 20, 2017, Governor Bruce Rauner signed HB313 (Public Act 100-0513) which allows certain Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, certified as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist, to practice without a collaborative agreement with a physician. The new law requires APRNs to have a written collaborative agreement with a physician unless they complete 250 hours of continuing education or training and at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience after first attaining national certification in their area of certification. Once the APRN achieves these milestones, the APRN and collaborating physician(s) will sign an attestation that the training was completed. This attestation must be available upon request by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
The Act also advises an APRN must have a consultation relationship with a physician if the APRN will prescribe benzodiazepines or Schedule II opioids. The consultation relationship must be recorded in the Prescription Monitoring Program website. The APRN must identify the specific Schedule II narcotic drugs, such as opioids, he or she prescribes, and the APRN may not administer them via injection. And, at least monthly, the APRN and the physician must discuss these patients’ benzodiazepine or opioid therapy.
The law also states that while APRNs may identify themselves as a “doctor” in a clinical setting, they must clearly state are not a medical doctor or physician, nor may they advertise with the title “doctor” or “physician”.
The new law takes a big step in allowing APRNs greater autonomy to treat and prescribe, but does not grant them complete independence.
The above information may trigger a need for change in your corporate and/or medical staff bylaws.
For further information about APRN practice authorities contact Melinda Malecki.