Pennsylvania state senators Camera Bartolotta and Lisa Boscola plan to refile a bill that will allow nurse practitioners to care for patients without collaboration agreements with physicians, the Morning Call reported Jan. 9.
Nurse practitioners in the state currently have to have collaboration agreements with two physicians to care for patients.
The new bill would require nurse practitioners to fulfill a three-year, 3,600-hour physician collaboration period with a physician, after which they would be able to practice independently.
The senators noted that 25 states in the U.S. allow nurse practitioners to practice independently of physicians, according to the publication.
Previous versions of the bill have been introduced for years but never passed. A version cleared the Senate during the state's last legislative session but stalled in the House. Supporters of the current bill believe the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent waived restrictions on nurse practitioners during that time may help the bill get passed this session.
Cheryl Schlamb, DNP, CRNP, president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, told the Morning Call that nurse practitioners within the state may leave to surrounding states that do not require physician collaboration agreements.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society is among those who oppose the measure, saying that physician-led care is in the best interest of patients.