1. Choose a State:

Pick a state you’re curious about. Here are some options:

• California
• Texas
• New York
• Illinois
• Washington

2. Find the Nurse Practice Act:

Each state has a Nurse Practice Act that outlines the scope of practice for all nurses, including APNs. You can find it on the website of the state’s Board of Nursing. Here’s an example search for the California Board of Nursing: https://www.rn.ca.gov/

3. Search for Advanced Practice Nurse:

Once on the website, search for keywords like “Advanced Practice Registered Nurse” (APRN) or specific APN titles like “Nurse Practitioner” (NP). This will lead you to a document outlining the educational requirements, practice limitations, and supervisory needs for APNs in that state.

4. Compare to Florida:

Compare the information you find to the scope of practice for APNs in Florida. You can likely find this information on the Florida Board of Nursing website using a similar search method. Here’s an example search for the Florida Board of Nursing: https://floridasnursing.gov/

Focus on these Key Areas:

• Autonomy: Does the state require APNs to have a collaborative agreement with a physician to practice independently?
• Supervision: Are there limitations on the tasks APNs can perform without physician supervision?
• Prescriptive Authority: Can APNs prescribe all medications or are there limitations?
• Specialty Areas: Does the state recognize specific areas of practice for APNs (e.g., Family Practice, Adult-Gerontology)?

Additional Resources:

• American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): https://www.aanpcert.org/

By following these steps, you can gain a clear understanding of how the scope of practice for APNs differs between the two states you selected.