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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 2 of 2 Research Studies DisplayedTzeng HM, Raji MA, Chou LN
Impact of state nurse practitioner regulations on potentially inappropriate medication prescribing between physicians and nurse practitioners: a national study in the United States.
The American Geriatrics Society regularly updates the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) to improve prescribing safety. This study assessed the impact of nurse practitioner (NP) practices on PIM prescribing across states in the United States and compared the change in PIM prescribing rates between 2016 and 2018. The investigators found that the PIM prescription rate was lower in states with full NP practice and lower among NPs than among physicians; these rates for both physicians and NPs decreased from 2016 to 2018.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642.
Citation: Tzeng HM, Raji MA, Chou LN .
Impact of state nurse practitioner regulations on potentially inappropriate medication prescribing between physicians and nurse practitioners: a national study in the United States.
J Nurs Care Qual 2022 Jan-Mar;37(1):6-13. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000595..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Provider: Nurse, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Policy
Smith LB
The effect of nurse practitioner scope of practice laws on primary care delivery.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are an increasingly integral part of the primary care workforce. NPs' authority to practice without physician oversight is regulated by state-level scope of practice (SOP) restrictions. To the extent that SOP restrictions prevent NPs from practicing to their full abilities and capacity, they could create inefficiencies and restrict access to health care. The purpose of this paper was to explore what occurs at primary care practices when states ease their scope of practice (SOP) laws. The researcher utilized a novel dataset of claims and electronic health records to quantify the effects of easing SOP laws in 3 areas: 1. Nurse Practitioners' autonomy in their everyday jobs; 2. Total workload and the allocation of patients between physicians and NPs; and 3. The delivery of low-value services at primary care practices. The study found no evidence that easing SOP laws impacts neither the volume or allocation of patients to NPs, nor the delivery of low-value services.
AHRQ-funded; HS026659.
Citation: Smith LB .
The effect of nurse practitioner scope of practice laws on primary care delivery.
Health Econ 2022 Jan; 31(1):21-41. doi: 10.1002/hec.4438..
Keywords: Primary Care, Healthcare Delivery, Policy, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Nurse