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Federal Trade Commission staff submitted comments to two state legislatures on the impact of legislative proposals to modify the supervision requirements imposed on advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs.

In response to a request from Kansas House of Representatives Rep. Daniel R. Hawkins, FTC staff submitted comments that encourage the Kansas legislature to enact H.B. 2412, which would expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses in Kansas. The comments urge the legislature to rescind a requirement that APRNs must have a collaborative practice agreement executed with a physician in order to prescribe medications. The comments also advise against adopting a proposed amendment that would “require all APRNs to be under the regulatory control of the physician-controlled Kansas Board of Healing Arts rather than the Kansas Board of Nursing where they are currently regulated.”

FTC staff also submitted comments responding to a request from Ohio House of Representatives Rep. Thomas E. Brinkman, Jr. The comments urge the Ohio legislature to adopt H.B. 177, which would expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses in Ohio and “end the mandatory written collaborative agreement requirement” under which APRNs must prescribe drugs and therapeutic devices “in collaboration with one or more physicians or podiatrists.”

Both comments note research by the Institute of Medicine and by FTC staff on the effects of APRN regulations. Both comments also suggest that granting APRNs full practice authority would benefit healthcare consumers, because expanding APRN scope of practice may “improve access to care, contain costs, and expand innovation in health care delivery.”

The Commission votes approving the comments to the Kansas House of Representatives and the Ohio House of Representatives were both 5-0.

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