New York is the most recent state to grant nurse practitioners full practice authority once they earn their licenses, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
New York is the 25th state, in addition to Washington, D.C., and two U.S. territories, to allow nurse practitioners to practice independently. The move is part of the state budget signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on April 9.
"New Yorkers will now have full and direct access to the comprehensive care NPs provide," April Kapu, DNP, APRN, president of the AANP, said in an April 11 news release. "Over the past two years, New York has waived unnecessary and outdated laws limiting access to healthcare. AANP applauds the state Legislature and Gov. Hochul for recognizing that these provisions need to continue. These changes will help New York attract and retain nurse practitioners and provide New Yorkers better access to quality care."
According to the AANP, full practice authority allows nurse practitioners to "provide the full scope of services they are educated and clinically trained to provide" under the exclusive licensure authority of the state nursing board.
The association estimated earlier in April that more than 355,000 nurse practitioners are licensed to practice in the U.S., up 9 percent from the estimated 325,000 reported in May 2021.