In 150-250 words, give a synopsis of the current level of practice and practice climate for APRNs in your state (CALIFORNIA) of licensure. Incorporate what you have learned from the Buppert readings and from investigating your state BRN website. APRN Practice in California If yours is a full practice state, discuss how your state adopted full practice authority (FPA). If your state is restricted, describe the restrictions to practice and the current political climate surrounding FPA (for example, is there any pending legislation to move to FPA?

APRN Practice in California

The California Board of Registered Nursing certifies advanced practice nurses and defines their scope of nursing practice. APRNs in California have an expanded scope of nursing practice. Recent legislative amendments saw APRNs in the state granted full practice authority (FPA). This allowed APRNs to practice independently upon completing a period of not less than three years in the clinical settings they intend to practice. As Ibarra (2022) reports, the move by California’s Nursing Agency to approve regulations that will allow APRNs to treat their patients without oversight by physicians was part of an elaborate move to enhance access to care services in the wake of staff shortages in the state. 

COVID-19 had an impact on nurses’ practice restrictions. Whereas the discussion to have APRNs granted full practice authority began before the emergence of COVID-19, the pandemic unearthed traditional and deep-seated issues within the healthcare systems in the state that highlighted the need to have NPs granted FPA (Kleinpell et al., 2021). Such issues as poor access to healthcare accustomed to a strained healthcare workforce reinforced the need to have NPs granted FPA.

Several barriers have been identified as impeding factors to FPA in California and beyond. Lack of formal marketing education during nursing training, poor public recognition of APRN roles and their ability to practice autonomously, and lower reimbursement rates are some of the identified barriers to APRN FPA. 

Moving on, I intend to assume a more proactive role in nursing leadership and membership in nursing union groups. This is because of the advocacy power that nursing unions have. Through intense lobbying and stakeholder involvement, nurses, through their unions, were able to expedite the legislative processes that saw the expansion of APRNS scope of practice. By being part of such a movement, I can leverage various resources to make meaningful changes in nursing practice.

References

Ibarra, A. B. (2022). Nurse practitioner requirements are changing, allowing them to practice without physician supervision. CalMatters. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://calmatters.org/health/2022/11/nurse-practitioner-requirements/.

Kleinpell, R., Myers, C. R., Schorn, M. N., & Likes, W. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on April practice: Results from a national survey. Nursing Outlook, 69(5), 783–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2021.05.002.