Prescriptive Authority In Nursing

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In 1989, Sandra Maree delivered an inaugural address stating “If we are to remain available provider in the system our major goals and focus must be compatible with the needs of society. We must study the issues, seek the assistance of experts when necessary, and speak with one voice on these major issues which will determine our rights to practice and education our successors” (as citied in Bankert, 1989). I believe that all CRNA’s should speak with one voice on full independent prescriptive authority across all states for non surgical pain management (NSPM) services administered by CRNAs. In January of 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ruled to preserve patient access to chronic pain management services administered by CRNAs. …show more content…
If NSPM certified CRNAs are not allowed full prescriptive authority, I believe it would interfere with their ability to provide optimal care to their patients. The barriers to full prescriptive authority include misconceptions about CRNA’s abilities and fear that they will misdiagnose and make life-threatening prescribing errors. According to a national study conducted there are no differences in patient outcomes when anesthesia services are provided by certified registered nurse anesthetist without supervision by physicians (Dulisse & Cromwell, 2010). Therefore, many of these fears are unfounded when CRNAs are equipped with the right education and an additional NSPM …show more content…
I believe that CRNAs with the desire to practice non surgical pain management should procure a specialty certification to validate their skills and knowledge as non surgical pain management specialists. Therefore, all states should relax their scope of practice laws allowing full prescribing authority in order to assist NSPM certified CRNAs. Not only would this change expand access to care in underserved populations, but also decrease overall healthcare costs. It would allow CRNAs to advance their careers and add mobility between state lines and differing health populations. Also it would allow CRNA to apply their nursing backgrounds to another rapidly increasing aging population of patients with acute and chronic