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Jonesboro Congressman Works to Push APN Perscriptive Authority Bill Again

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Arkansas State Rep. Dan Sullivan (R-Jonesboro) says he will continue to push his health care bill, despite its defeat in a House committee last week.

House Bill 1181, or the "Transition to Prescriptive Authority Act", would extended the prescription powers of Advance Practice Registered Nurses, or APNs.

The bill would eliminate the need for APNs to get a physician's signature to prescribe medicine if the nurse completes a one-year nursing program under certain conditions.  Sullivan told the Jonesboro Sun some lawmakers were concerned with the duration of the nursing program.  He says he plans to discuss the bill this week and possibly extend the required nursing program to 3 to 5 years.

Sullivan's bill would also allow APNs to prescribe medicine listed in Schedules II through V.

Schedule II drugs can include some opioid, morphine, and other substances with a high potential for abuse.  Currently, the only schedule II drug APNs can prescribe is hydrocodone.

The bill only received 9 out of the 11 required votes in committee.

A Northeast Arkansas native from Wynne, I’ve been involved with radio for about 15 years. I got my Bachelor of Arts degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where I also served as an award-winning News Director for 2 years at KSWH-LP.