MADISON, Wis. – Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) is proud that his bipartisan Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Modernization Act was passed today by both the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly.
The APRN Modernization Act 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.
Wisconsin nurses have been advocating for some form of the APRN Modernization Act for more than a decade. Sen. Testin has authored the bill in each of the three most recent legislative sessions, but his first two attempts were vetoed by the governor. Sen. Testin expects the third time to be the charm.
“Despite a couple of setbacks over the past several years, we’ve had very productive conversations with various stakeholders and government officials – including Gov. Tony Evers – and we have a deal in place that when the APRN Modernization Act reaches the governor’s desk, it is supposed to be signed into law,” Sen. Testin said. “There has been a lot of give and take and no one is getting everything they want. That is the true definition of compromise.”
In order to work out an arrangement with the governor, multiple changes were made when drafting the newest version of the legislation. One increases the years of experience a registered nurse must have before they can practice independently. Some of the other modifications are connected to professional title protections, pain management services and malpractice liability insurance minimums.
“When it comes to our frontline medical professionals, we are all acutely aware of the dire workforce challenges we face here in Wisconsin,” Sen. Testin said. “By empowering our APRNs to operate at the highest scope of their practice, there is no question that they are going to step up and deliver high-quality healthcare in every corner of the state, especially in our rural and undeserved communities.”
Nearly 30 red and blue states have already enacted policies comparable to Sen. Testin’s APRN Modernization Act.
