A new bill filed in Missouri this year would reduce practice restrictions for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Representative Derek Grier is the primary sponsor of House Bill 768 (HB 768). The bill has been introduced but has yet to be assigned to a committee for further deliberation. You can read the complete text of the bill here.
HB 768 would allow APRNs to practice independently within their statutory scope of practice. Currently, APRNs require written practice agreements with a collaborating physician to practice. These agreements authorize their scope and location of practice, as well as their prescriptive authority. HB 768 would allow APRNs to perform services within their scope of practice and within their skill, training and competence, including prescribing schedule III to V controlled substances, with a restricted ability to prescribe schedule II controlled substances. APRNs still have the option of entering collaboration “arrangements” with physicians to expand their practice or prescriptive authority and largely following the same rules as the current written agreements. The national trend has been moving toward allowing APRNs to practice as independent health care providers without the need for the direct supervision of physicians. HB 768 is right in line with that trend and, if passed, would allow Missouri APRNs to become independent health care providers in their own right.
We will be monitoring HB 768 as it works its way through Missouri’s legislative process this year.