VCNP is continuing to advocate for full practice authority for Virginia's NPs and is supporting House Bill 971 and House Bill 793. Both bills reduce the transition to practice requirement to two years and allow certain NPs to oversee patient care teams by changing "patient care team physician" to "patient care team provider." The bills define "patient care team provider" as a patient care team physician, as defined in relevant law, or an NP whoo meets certain requirements. Contact all legislators and ask them for their support to move NP practice forward!
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Ask legislators to support House Bill 971 and House Bill 983

We have two bill numbers! Now's the time to act!

I’m writing today to ask for your support of House Bill 971 and House Bill 983 and to sign on as a co-patron of this important legislation. These identical bills reduce the transition to practice requirement for nurse practitioners (NPs) to two years and allow certain NPs to oversee patient care teams by changing "patient care team physician" to "patient care team provider." 

Virginia’s current 5-year transition to practice requirement was passed in 2018 and is the most restrictive in the nation. Since that time, there have been significant changes in health care including increasing physician shortages, a growing aging population and a greater number of patients with chronic diseases. Modernizing state laws will allow NPs to help provide this care.

During the COVID state of emergency and for one year following the 2021 General Assembly session, Virginia’s NPs with two or more years of experience were eligible to practice without a practice agreement, which had no negative repercussions. In fact, a 2021 Virginia Department of Health study showed no negative impacts on patient safety after HB 793 reduced transition to practice requirements to five years.

HB 971 and HB 983 will bring NPs in Virginia closer to national trends and the APRN Consensus model. More than half the states, the District of Columbia and the Veterans Administration have laws and regulations embracing NPs and allowing for full practice authority. Of the states with transition to practice requirements, the requirement is 2 or 3 years. Virginia is the only state with a 5-year requirement. 

Mandated practice agreements tie our state’s capacity to use NPs to the supply and availability of the physician workforce and impede an NP’s ability to provide care when and where it is most needed. 

Like our physician colleagues, NPs are committed to providing safe care based on current clinical guidelines and standards of care, pursuing policies that expand access to care, building nurse preceptors pools, and promoting workplace safety.  

I welcome the opportunity to further discuss the need for this legislation and urge you to vote ‘yes’ to HB 971 and HB 983. Thank you for your time.

We have two bill numbers! Now's the time to act!

Ask legislators to support House Bill 971 and House Bill 983

Message

Dear Office Holder (names will be automatically added on each email),