Hello, this is Senator Patrick Testin, and I am coming to you from the Capitol in Madison to talk about my bipartisan
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Modernization Act, which was recently signed into law following more than a decade of various lawmakers trying to get it across the finish line.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the APRN Modernization Act, the new state statute authorizes qualified registered nurses to practice independently and without the need for a collaborative agreement with a physician – so long as the cases do not fall outside their areas of expertise.
By allowing APRNs to operate at the highest scope of their practice, I am confident that we will improve healthcare access in every area of the state, especially in our rural and underserved communities.
Wisconsin now joins nearly 30 other states – including Minnesota and Iowa – that have passed policies similar to the APRN Modernization Act.
But it was not an easy road to get to this point. The idea for the APRN Modernization Act was first proposed over 10 years ago, and I was fortunate enough to author the bill in the two most recent legislative sessions. However, both of those previous attempts were vetoed by the governor.
Knowing the importance of the legislation to Wisconsin, the healthcare industry and our devoted nurses, we worked with the governor and other stakeholders this session to reach a compromise – one that benefits all residents of our state.
In this instance, the third time truly was the charm.
