Lifting restrictions on APRNs will alleviate the health care crisis in Mississippi.
Currently, access to quality health care in Mississippi is severely limited. With a lack of qualified medical personnel throughout the state, hospitals and care centers are often unable to provide care for patients across the state. However, there is a solution. Allowing the full practice authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) could drastically improve the state of health care in Mississippi. But we need your help to do so.
Please contact your Mississippi lawmakers and urge them to vote YES on legislation to remove these barriers.
Mississippi Health Care Facts
- All 82 counties have a shortage of primary health care providers
- One of the states most affected by the physician shortage
- Ranked 49th in the nation for health care quality, access and affordability
View and share to learn more about APRNs and their cause.
Testimonials from Across the Country
Working together to meet Mississippi’s growing demand for health care.
Throughout Mississippi, APRNs play a critical role…from delivering babies to expertly managing life-saving respiratory devices. Yet, even as half of the states in the U.S. have removed unnecessary restrictions on APRNs, Mississippi APRNs are not allowed to perform these duties without entering an unnecessary and costly collaborative agreement with a physician.
Mississippi lawmakers have the opportunity to eliminate restrictions on APRNs to increase the ability to care for patients and alleviate the burden on our health care system, especially in rural and underserved areas. The time has come for state lawmakers to permanently remove restrictions on APRNs. The health of the people of Mississippi is at stake.
What is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse?
A vital part of the health care system, APRNs are educated with a master’s degree or higher, and have hundreds of hours of hands-on clinical experience. APRNs can provide care in all types of practice settings including health care facilities, outpatient clinics, specialty practices, employee health programs, and in rural and urban areas with limited access to care. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that APRNs provide safe, high-quality care with equivalent outcomes to their physician counterparts.
Four roles, four ways to care for you:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – administer anesthesia and monitor patients post-anesthesia
Certified Nurse Midwives – specialize in childbirth and women’s reproductive health
Certified Nurse Practitioners – diagnose and treat primary or acute health conditions
Clinical Nurse Specialists – work in specialty settings and provide diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing patient management
How are APRNs being held back?
In nearly half of the U.S., all APRNs have full practice authority, meaning that they can provide care to the full extent of their education and training. In Mississippi, APRNs are required by law to enter into unnecessary contracts with physicians in order to perform these very same tasks, holding them back from addressing the growing health care needs in this state.
How can I help?
We need your voice to be heard in support of APRNs. Please contact your legislator, upload a testimonial or share our messages and video on social media. The sooner you get involved the sooner you can help make access to safe, quality health care a reality for everyone in Mississippi.
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