Kentucky Law Grants Prescribing Authority to Nurses

A new Kentucky state law that expands prescribing authority for advanced practice registered nurses took effect Tuesday, the same day that a study was published touting the benefits of having nurses manage care for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

The measure, signed by Gov. Steve Beshear in February, represented a compromise after years of contentious debate. After the close of the 2013 legislative session, legislative leaders instructed the Kentucky Medical Association, Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians and the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives to settle their differences on the issue.

“I appreciate the way this bill was handled in the legislative process. The compromise was negotiated until all interested parties were comfortable,” the bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. Paul Hornback, said in a news release.

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Source: Modern Healthcare