TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Qualified nurse practitioners will be able to independently operate primary care practices without an attending doctor under a bill passed by the Florida Legislature and signed hours later by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Advanced nurse practitioners with at least 3,000 hours of experience under the supervision of a physician could qualify to provide services including family medicine, general pediatrics and general internal medicine.
Nurse practitioners would have to complete minimum graduate level course work in differential diagnosis and pharmacology.
The bill was a priority for House Speaker Jose Oliva, who praised the governor’s quick action.
“Floridians’ access to quality health care is our top priority,” Oliva said in a news release. “Freeing (advanced practice registered nurses) of the red tape that has historically stopped them from working to the full extent of their education and training will immediately improve access to quality care for all.”
DeSantis also signed another Oliva priority bill the Legislature passed Wednesday. It will allow qualified pharmacists who enter into agreements with doctors to treat chronic conditions like asthma, arthritis and obesity, as well as test for and treat ailments like the flu, strep throat, lice and skin conditions like ringworm and athlete’s foot.
Both laws take effect July 1.
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