Oregon's Senate Health Committee has passed a bill that would give all nurse practitioners in Oregon the right to prescribe and dispense medication, according to a report by The Lund Report.
Currently, only nurse practitioners in Oregon's rural counties have prescriptive power, because patient access to pharmacies and physicians may be limited there, according to the report. Physician assistants have prescriptive power throughout the state.
Those opposing the bill say NPs are not as qualified as pharmacists and there is "no need for this service in urban areas," according to The Lund Report.
The bill could go to a full senate vote today and would then be heard by a House committee.
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Currently, only nurse practitioners in Oregon's rural counties have prescriptive power, because patient access to pharmacies and physicians may be limited there, according to the report. Physician assistants have prescriptive power throughout the state.
Those opposing the bill say NPs are not as qualified as pharmacists and there is "no need for this service in urban areas," according to The Lund Report.
The bill could go to a full senate vote today and would then be heard by a House committee.
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