
Expanding the Role of Nurse Practitioners
In 2019, the California Future Health Workforce Commission released a plan to address the state’s shortages of primary care and behavioral health providers. One of the Commission’s top recommendations was to maximize the role of nurse practitioners (NPs) and to expand their practice authority. In doing so, they noted that California is 1 of 28 states — and the only western state — that restricts NPs by requiring them to work with physician oversight.
In 2019, the California Future Health Workforce Commission released a plan to address the state’s shortages of primary care and behavioral health providers. One of the Commission’s top recommendations was to maximize the role of nurse practitioners (NPs) and to expand their practice authority. In doing so, they noted that California is 1 of 28 states — and the only western state — that restricts NPs by requiring them to work with physician oversight.