Full Practice Authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Does this Increase Access to Health Care in Rural America?

The intent of this paper is to investigate the ongoing need for healthcare providers, especially in underserved areas such as rural America. The lack of outreach in these areas has been the catalyst into looking at the scope of practice (SOP) laws for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN). Findings of the search indicated that states who have implemented greater SOP authority have increased growth of APRNs. In addition, these states have expanded health care utilization, creating a positive impact among rural and vulnerable populations. Some data demonstrates outcomes from APRNs in rural areas have improved health statuses, minimizing the health care disparity (Kanda et al, 2015).