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Solving The Physician Shortage

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 15, 2007

There has been significant press regarding the recent study by the FSU College of Medicine that showed there are fewer physicians practicing in Florida than originally thought, too few to meet the demands of an aging population. The Florida Nurses Association urges consumers and health care advocates to look to the Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) as the solution to the shortage of primary care providers.

There are approximately 12,000 practicing ARNPs in Florida. ARNPs have masters degrees or higher and at least six years of education. They include Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. They provide cost-effective, quality care in many primary care settings and are well known for promoting high patient satisfaction.

The only barrier to increasing the availability of ARNPs in Florida is their legal inability to prescribe controlled substances to their patients who have pain. In the forty-seven states that have granted ARNPs the right to prescribe controlled substances, no state has revoked or curtailed this right.

The Florida Nurses Association has supported legislation for the last 13 years that would grant ARNPs the ability to prescribe controlled substances, but every year this legislation has been defeated. In light of the recent study, why not take another look at ARNPs? If we allow ARNPs to practice to the full extent of their ability and to prescribe controlled substances for their patients who have pain, ARNPs will be compassionate, highly qualified, primary care providers meeting the needs of Florida's citizens.

Anna Small is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and lawyer and is legislative counsel to the Florida Nurses Association.

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