The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing changes to its medical regulations to permit full practice authority of all VA advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) when they are acting within the scope of their VA employment. The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce supports this move to provide greater access to quality care for our veterans in accordance with industry norms and standards of practice.
This change would increase veterans' access to VA health care by expanding the pool of qualified health care professionals who are authorized to provide primary health care and other related health care services to the full extent of their education, training, and certification, without the clinical supervision of physicians. Additionally, the adjustment would permit the VA to use its health care resources more effectively and in a manner that is consistent with the role of APRNs in the non-VA health care sector, while maintaining the patient-centered, safe, high-quality health care that veterans receive from VA.
The proposed rulemaking would establish additional professional qualifications an individual must possess to be appointed as an APRN within VA. It would also subdivide APRN's into four separate categories that include certified nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, and certified nurse-midwife. It will also provide the criteria under which VA may grant full practice authority to an APRN and define the scope of full practice authority for each category of APRN. VA intends that the services to be provided by an APRN in one of the four APRN roles would be consistent with the nursing profession's standards of practice for such roles.
To comment on this proposal, click here. For the greatest impact, be sure to identify yourself as a veteran, caregiver or concerned citizen and explain why you support expanding veterans' access to high-quality care.
