A new bill filed in Delaware would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to practice independently without first needing to collaborate with physicians. Representative Melissa Minor-Brown is the primary sponsor of the bill, which is known as House Bill 141 (HB 141). It has initially been referred to the House Sunset Committee on Policy Analysis & Government Accountability for further consideration.
Currently, APRNs in Delaware are able to gain independent practice authority after working under a collaboration agreement with a physician. These collaboration agreements, which specify the APRNs’ ability to prescribe medications and parameters for consultation with the physician, must be in place for a minimum of two years and 4,000 hours of practice. Under HB 141, APRNs would instead gain independent practice as part of their license. They would no longer have any transition period or collaboration requirement. Instead, they would practice according to rules developed and adopted by the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Committee, a nine-member body under the Delaware Board of Nursing.
Greater practice independence has been the biggest trend in APRN practice for the past several years. The majority of states, including Delaware, now allow APRNs some path to practicing without direct supervision. If HB 141 passes, Delaware would remove all barriers to independent practice for APRNs. We will be monitoring this legislation this year.