Kansas Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Description

Who We Are- A group of advanced practice registered nurses, (nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners), nurse educators and nurse leaders who are dedicated to improving the environment in which advanced practice registered nurses work. Our mission is to facilitate legislative changes that improve access to quality health care for Kansans. Remove legislative barriers so that advanced practice registered nurses can work within a scope of practice defined by the full extent of their education and training. Facilitate the development of innovative health care delivery systems that provide patient-centered health care and lower health care costs. In concert with the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN), KAPN pledges to work with the goal of safe and compassionate health care for all Kansans. Current Activities- 2012-2013 Legislation Plans With a predicted shortage of primary care providers as the population ages and as millions of people become newly insured starting in 2014 as the Affordable Care Act is implemented, APRNs can fill the gap as primary care providers. The current Kansas Nurse Practice Act creates barriers to APRN directed primary care, creates underutilization of nurse practitioners as primary care providers and thus adds to the problem of insufficient primary care providers. The APRN Taskforce continues to meet monthly preparing a bill revising APRN scope of practice langua