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2004 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 205
Requesting the Board of Nursing to collect information on nurse practitioner prescriptive authority. Report.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 17, 2004
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2004

WHEREAS, licensed nurse practitioners, pursuant to § 54.1-2957.01 of the Code of Virginia, other than certified registered nurse anesthetists, have the authority to prescribe controlled substances and devices as set forth in Chapter 34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) of Title 54.1; and

WHEREAS, House Bill No. 818 (2000) granted nurse practitioners greater authority to prescribe controlled substances and devices according to the following schedule: (i) Schedules V and VI controlled substances on and after July 1, 2000; (ii) Schedules IV through VI on and after January 1, 2002; and (iii) Schedules III through VI controlled substances on and after July 1, 2003; and

WHEREAS, with the aging of the population in Virginia and the United States, the demand for health care providers is increasing; and

WHEREAS, it has been found that there are Virginia communities that do not have adequate access to primary care; and

WHEREAS, some research has concluded that providing appropriate access to primary care will require the increased use of physician extenders, including nurse practitioners; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Commission on Health Care, in its 2003 report titled "Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Authority," found that the Board of Nursing does not collect information on the practice locations of nurse practitioners and that the collection of only the home address does not allow for the evaluation of where nurse practitioners are practicing; and

WHEREAS, having information regarding the practice location of nurse practitioners would allow a comparison to primary health professional shortage areas or medically underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, information concerning written practice agreements between nurse practitioners and physicians is not automated, making the Board of Nursing unable to provide information regarding the number of nurse practitioners authorized to prescribe at the various Schedule levels; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Board of Nursing be requested to collect information on nurse practitioner prescriptive authority. The Board shall collect information regarding the (i) practice locations of nurse practitioners and (ii) number of nurse practitioners with the authority to prescribe each Schedule of controlled substances and devices.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Board of Nursing in collecting the information, upon request.

The Board of Nursing shall submit to the Joint Commission on Health Care, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions an executive summary and the information collected on nurse practitioner prescriptive authority by no later than October 1, 2004.

The Board of Nursing shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and the information collected on nurse practitioner prescriptive authority no later than the first day of the 2005 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.