Lifting restrictions on all APRNs will alleviate the health care crisis in Florida.
Currently, access to quality health care in Florida is severely limited. With a lack of qualified medical personnel throughout the state, hospitals and care centers are often unable to provide care for patients. However, there is a solution. Expanding autonomous practice to all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) could drastically improve the state of health care in Florida. Although state lawmakers took an important first step in 2020, with the passage of House Bill 607, it is time to finish the job. We need your help to lift the restrictions on all APRNs so that Floridians can get the care they need.
With health care ranked in the nation’s bottom 25%, it’s time for action. Please contact Florida lawmakers now and urge them to vote YES on the House Bill and Senate Bill that support APRNs.
Florida Health Care Facts
- Ranked 47th for health care access and affordability
- Recognized as the 46th healthiest state
- Florida’s clinical care is ranked in the bottom 25%
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Testimonials from Across the Country
Working together to meet Florida’s growing demand for health care.
Throughout Florida, APRNs play a critical role…from providing primary care services to delivering babies and expertly managing life-saving respiratory devices. Yet, even as half of the states have removed unnecessary restrictions on APRNs, in Florida they care for our most vulnerable populations while still being required to enter into unnecessary contracts with physicians in order to work. These barriers greatly hinder APRNs’ ability to provide the advanced care patients require and that they were educated and trained to provide.
Although Florida lawmakers took an important first step to lift unnecessary restrictions on APRNs who provide primary care services, APRNs who treat the most seriously ill Floridians still face barriers. And now, more than ever, Florida needs their invaluable services.
What is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse?
A vital part of the health care system, APRNs are educated with a master’s degree or higher, and have hundreds of hours of hands-on clinical experience. APRNs can provide care in all types of practice settings including health care facilities, outpatient clinics, specialty practices, employee health programs, and in rural and urban areas with limited access to care. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that APRNs provide safe, high-quality care with equivalent outcomes to their physician counterparts.
Four roles, four ways to care for you:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – administer anesthesia and monitor patients post-anesthesia
Certified Nurse Midwives – specialize in childbirth and women’s reproductive health
Certified Nurse Practitioners – diagnose and treat primary or acute health conditions
Clinical Nurse Specialists – work in specialty settings and provide diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing patient management
How are APRNs being held back in Florida?
In nearly half of the U.S., all APRNs have full practice authority, meaning that they can provide care to the full extent of their education and training. Although Florida has approved full practice authority for some APRNs, others are still required by law to enter into unnecessary contracts with physicians in order to work. These outdated laws are holding APRNs back from addressing the growing health care needs of Floridians.
How can I help?
We need your voice to be heard in support of all APRNs. Please contact your legislator, upload a testimonial or share our messages and video on social media. The sooner you get involved, the sooner you can help make access to safe, quality health care a reality for everyone in Florida.
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