The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is pleased to support a regulatory proposal put forth by the VA to ensure that veterans have direct access to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners (NPs). Once authorized, this proposal will allow NPs to practice to the top of their education scope. The regulatory proposal will improve access to high-quality care for veterans and streamline the delivery of their much-needed health services.
The number of licensed nurse practitioners in the US has almost doubled in the last ten years, from 106,000 in 2004 to 205,000 in 2014. Most of these licensed NPs are primary care providers with 88% prepared in primary care and 75% practicing in primary care. There are currently more than 4,800 nurse practitioners employed at VA facilities and veterans will significantly benefit from the new VA policy update which will give them full access to the compassionate and patient-centered care that NPs provide.
Nurse practitioners are licensed to diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses, and promote health and disease prevention in their patients. They can assess, order, perform, supervise, and interpret laboratory tests, make diagnoses, initiate and manage treatment including prescribing medications and non-pharmacologic treatment, coordinate care and counseling, and educate patients and their families. The AANP and their APRN colleagues are joined in graciously thanking the VA for their leadership on this important issue that will make the health care needs of the brave men and women who have served our country a priority.
AANP is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties. They represent more than 205,000 NPs with 68,000 individual members and 200 organizations to provide a unified network to advocate for their role as high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, and patient-centered personalized care providers. AANP’s legislative leadership is involved at local, state, and national levels to advance health policy by promoting excellence in practice, education, and research for establishing the best possible standards of care for NPs and their patients.
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