adminLegislation was recently introduced in the state Senate and House that, if passed, would eliminate the current requirement that certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) in Pennsylvania collaborate with a physician to diagnose, treat, and prescribe drugs to patients.
Some nurse practitioners describe their current ability to see patients as “handcuffed” by existing law. Despite claims that patient safeguards prohibit them from “full practice authority,” nurse practitioners can already diagnose, treat, and even prescribe medications just as physicians do.
In the video below, Charles Cutler, MD, a physician who specializes in internal medicine, answers the following question:
Why should physicians and nurse practitioners continue collaborating as part of a health care team?