[hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]An estimated 20,000 nurse practitioners will be eligible to apply for the first phase of expanded authority in California by 2023.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Expanded nurse practitioner practice authority increases access to two of California’s most needed services: primary care and mental healthcare.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]California’s expansion of practice authority and high salary may not be enough for nurse practitioners who can get full-practice authority in many of the surrounding states.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Nearly 45% of Californians do not have enough access to primary care providers, according to [hen-ui-link href=”https://letsgethealthy.ca.gov/goals/redesigning-the-health-system/increasing-access-to-healthcare-providers/”]Let’s Get Healthy California[/hen-ui-link]. The expansion of nurse practitioner (NP) practice authority in California allows nurse practitioners to open their own practices or join existing practices in rural communities without worrying about physician agreements or physician-to-nurse-practitioner ratios. This expansion could increase access to healthcare for many Californians.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Dive into how California’s expanded NP authority affects NPs in the state and nationally.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-flex gap=”xl” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-flex gap=”xs” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Popular MSN Programs[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ color=”subtext”]Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][/hen-ui-flex]Masters / N & H / Nursing (RN Required)[hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What This Means for Nurse Practitioners in California[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Assembly Bill 890, signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020, gives nurse practitioners in California a pathway to full-practice authority. The law can go into full effect in January 2023 because the Board of Registered Nursing finalized the steps NPs will take to gain full-practice authority.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Beginning in January 2023, NPs who have completed [hen-ui-link href=”https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB890″]4,600 hours or three years of full-time clinical practice[/hen-ui-link] in the state of California will be eligible to apply for the first category of California’s new expanded practice authority.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]NPs can gain full-practice authority in two phases:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”ordered” bullet-style=”number”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]During the first phase, NPs work without physician supervision for three years at certain practices where a physician or surgeon also practices. The first phase allows NPs to practice independently, but they can consult a physician if needed.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]After those three years, nurse practitioners gain full-practice authority without any restrictions. Nearly two-thirds of California’s NPs could gain full-practice authority by 2026.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Nurse practitioners with full-practice authority can practice within the complete scope of their NP license without a supervising physician. They can:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Diagnose patients[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Order tests[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Prescribe medications[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Perform physical exams[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Full-practice authority under this law or any other law does not give NPs any additional duties outside of an NP license’s scope of practice. Full-practice authority also does not remove the need for providers to collaborate with one another.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]In fact, collaborating with physicians and other healthcare providers is part of the training to be an NP. For many NPs who choose to practice independently within a practice with other healthcare providers, collaboration will still play a major role.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Popular DNP Programs[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What This Means for Nurse Practitioners Across America[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Primary care and psychiatric mental health are the first and fourth [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/specializations/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20AANP%2C%2088.9,are%20certified%20adult%20nurse%20practitioners.”]most popular NP specialties[/hen-ui-link], and they are also two of the services California needs the most providers.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]By 2028, California will have a [hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]50% shortage[/hen-ui-text] of psychiatrists.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]By 2030, California will need between [hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]78,000-103,000 primary care providers[/hen-ui-text]. Half of those will need to be advanced practice providers.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Granting nurse practitioners full-practice authority allows them to open their own practices in underserved areas without having to get a supervising physician. The expansion of practice authority also allows current practices to hire more NPs without meeting a physician-to-nurse-practitioner ratio. More nurse practitioners can lead to:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Fewer wait times and delays[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Increased access to care[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Improved patient outcomes[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]California offers nurse practitioners the highest average annual salary in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from December 2022. However, the high average salary, $151,830 annually, and relaxed restrictions on practice authority may not be enough to attract the 4,100 primary care practitioners California needs.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Other western states such as Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona all offer NPs full-practice authority. Some have suggested that NPs may value the higher independence over the higher salary, which means California may still struggle to draw NPs away from their neighboring states to their underserved neighborhoods.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]However, this new bill may start a trend of states loosening their restrictions on nurse practitioners’ practice authority. States may wait to see if California successfully increases access to care with this bill before they follow suit. If California sees increased access to mental health and primary care in underserved areas, areas with more than 2,000 people for every one primary care provider, other states may pass similar laws so their residents can have increased access to needed health services.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-accordion variant=”no-background”] [hen-ui-accordion-item title=”Sources”] [hen-ui-text-stack gap=”sm”] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Assembly bill no. 890. (2020). [hen-ui-link href=”https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB890″]https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB890[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Redesigning the health system/increasing access to primary care providers. (2016). [hen-ui-link href=”https://letsgethealthy.ca.gov/goals/redesigning-the-health-system/increasing-access-to-healthcare-providers/”]https://letsgethealthy.ca.gov/goals/redesigning-the-health-system/increasing-access-to-healthcare-providers/[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. (2022). Nurse practitioners. https://www.bls.gov/oes/CURRENT/oes291171.htm[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-text-stack] [/hen-ui-accordion-item][/hen-ui-accordion]