Majority of states now give patients full access to NPs

On April 15, Kansas became the 26th state to enact full practice authority legislation for nurse practitioners (NPs), marking a tipping point in the effort to eliminate barriers to accessing care provided by NPs and other advanced practice registered nurses. New York State approved full practice authority for NPs earlier in the month. Greater access to NP care is viewed as one strategy for addressing the nation’s shortage of primary care providers. According to federal statistics, nearly 781,000 Kansans live in federally designated primary care health professional shortage areas. (HealthLeaders Media article, 4/18/22)