Wisconsin lawmakers have proposed a bill that would create an advanced practice registered nurse license and allow these APRNs to work without a collaborating physician, Wisconsin Examiner reported May 31.
APRNs would need to practice for a preliminary period of two years before being able to practice without a physician collaboration agreement.
Proponents of the bill believe it will help the ongoing healthcare worker shortage and note that nurse practitioners were practicing without a collaborating physician during the height of the pandemic successfully. Additionally, supporters of the bill pointed out that many nurses in the state have costly agreements with physicians who are not actively practicing in Wisconsin.
Opponents of the bill are mostly all physicians, according to the publication, who feel there is a lack of required training and experience when compared to physicians. The Wisconsin Medical Society and other medical organizations are asking that the bill requires four years of experience with a collaborating physician — two before receiving the APRN license and two after — before APRNs can practice independently.
In the current legislation, nurse anesthetists would still be required to work with a collaborating physician.
The bill was vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers last year for failure to address the concerns of opponents.