Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is set to reject legislation that would allow advanced practice registered nurses to treat patients and write prescriptions without physician oversight, Wisconsin Public Radio reports.
The Wisconsin Assembly passed the Senate version of SB 145, called the APRN Modernization Act, Jan. 25. The bill would modernize the state's practice model to add licensing for APRNs in four practice roles, allowing them to practice without supervision by a physician or dentist and issue prescription orders.
To apply for an APRN license, registered nurses must complete an accredited graduate-level or postgraduate-level education program for four recognized roles and hold national certification, among other criteria specified in the bill. About 8,000 nurses would qualify for the new license in the practice roles of certified nurse-midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner, according to the Wisconsin Nurses Association.
At least one lawmaker tied the legislation to recent hospital closures in the state, according to WPR. Two hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, Wis., are set to close in the first quarter along with 20 clinical and medical office locations. One Wisconsin representative said the APRN licenses would bolster the state's healthcare workforce by allowing registered nurses to practice at the top of their licenses.
Physicians groups in the state, such as the Wisconsin Medical Society, have opposed iterations of the legislation and the lifting of oversight agreements over concerns about the years of experience required for the new APRN licenses.
Lawmakers and nursing advocates have attempted to move this legislation forward in Wisconsin for years. The governor vetoed similar legislation "in its entirety" in April 2022, noting his objection to "altering current licensure standards for APRNs, allowing practices functionally equivalent to those of physicians or potentially omitting physicians from a patient's care altogether" despite differences in requirements for physician and APRN experience, training and education.