Florida and Alabama are currently the only states where nurse practitioners cannot prescribe controlled substances. In December, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability said allowing advanced nurse practitioners and physician assistants to expand their scope of practice and prescribing could benefit patients and the healthcare industry by increasing access to quality care and saving up to $44 million annually for Medicaid.
Unlike nurse anesthetist associations in other states, the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists is choosing not to pursue legislation that would ask the state to “opt out” of physician supervision of nurse anesthetists under Medicare. The federal “opt out” has been enacted in 16 states so far. Instead, the FANA will concentrate on providing education to legislators on how their members can save money and provide safe anesthesia services to patients.
Read the Naples News report on Florida nurses.
Read more on the debate over physician supervision of anesthesia:
–Survey Findings Reveal Patient Confusion Over Role of Anesthesiologist
–IOM Report Urges Policymakers to Let Nurses Expand Their Roles
