Letter: Where are the WNC doctors?

Twenty states authorize nurse practitioners (NPs) to provide the full scope of services they are educated and clinically trained to deliver. Unfortunately, N.C. is not one of those states; our state is one of the most restrictive in the country.

If we want North Carolinians, particularly in rural and underserved communities, to have improved health care access while controlling costs, our lawmakers need to consider passing legislation that aligns with national recommendations. The Institute of Medicine recommends states adopt legislation that removes barriers to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) practice to improve health care access. They cite extensive data showing nurse practitioners, including those with full-practice authority, have outcomes that are equivalent to those of physicians, and also offer patients a much-needed approach that is highly focused on health promotion and disease prevention.

A new study by Duke University shows that N.C.’s impending primary care shortage can be alleviated while reducing costs, by simply allowing APRNs to practice to the full extent of their training and education. Nurse practitioners are not physician extenders or mid-level providers. We are educated and nationally certified APRNs who can provide safe, cost-effective health care to patients without physician oversight.

Dr. Ann M. McDonald, DNP, C-FNP, CNE

McDonald is assistant professor, FNP Nursing Program, Western Carolina University at the Biltmore Park Instructional Site