Pennsylvania and Florida APRN Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations
Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations
The mission of state and regional boards of nursing (BONs) focuses on protecting the public by regulating nursing practice. This responsibility involves ensuring that nurses meet the qualifications and adhere to the standards necessary to provide safe, competent care to patients. The board achieves this through licensing, setting educational standards, establishing practice guidelines, and enforcing disciplinary actions as needed. This regulatory role is vital in maintaining the public’s trust in the healthcare system (George & Moore, 2022). I will compare the state-level regulations affecting Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in Pennsylvania and Florida during this discussion.
Comparison of Board of Nursing Regulations
In Pennsylvania, one must hold an RN license, a certification in a specialty, and a master’s or doctorate in nursing. Pennsylvania has a restricted prescriptive authority policy, which means APRNs must enter into a collaborative practice agreement with a physician to prescribe medications, including controlled substances, and diagnose; complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including 16 hours of pharmacology, to maintain the prescriptive authority (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2024).
In Florida, one must hold an RN license, a specialty certification, and an advanced nursing degree. Florida is a full prescriptive authority state where APRNs can practice without the oversight of a physician after completing 3000 hours of supervision, also known as autonomous practice. One must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including 3 hours on safe and effective prescription of controlled substances (Florida Board of Nursing, 2024) Pennsylvania and Florida APRN Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations.
APRNs in Pennsylvania and Florida have significant legal authority to practice within their full scope, with some differences in requirements related to collaborative agreements and prescribing practices. They must comply with ongoing education and licensing requirements, ensuring they stay current in their field while providing high-quality care.
Adherence to Regulations
In both states, APRNs demonstrate adherence to regulations through careful management of prescribing practices—collaborating with physicians in Pennsylvania and independently managing prescriptions in Florida while ensuring compliance with all legal and educational requirements.
References
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (2024).
Certified registered nurse practitioner licensure requirements snapshot.
https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/nursing/certified-registered-nurse-practitioner-licensure-snapshot.html Pennsylvania and Florida APRN Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations
Florida Board of Nursing. (2024).
Autonomous advanced practice registered nurse
. Florida Board of Nursing. https://floridasnursing.gov/licensing/autonomous-advanced-practice-registered-nurse/
George, J. L., & Moore, C. (2022). Government Response: Regulation. In
Milstead’s Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide
(pp. 147–173). essay, Jones & Bartlett.
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