By Kellie Schmitt, Center for Health Journalism, September 1, 2020
A measure that grants California nurse practitioners the ability to practice without physician supervision passed the state legislature Monday, the culmination of a long and contentious legislative journey. The bill gained momentum as the pandemic put a spotlight on health care disparities and workforce shortages.
After years of similar attempts, the state legislature passed AB 890, sponsored by Assembly Member Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa. The bill has been reshaped significantly since its introduction, including the addition of a requirement that NPs work for three years before they can practice on their own.
Advocates for the bill say removing these practice limitations will improve health care access in the state’s rural and underserved areas, while attracting and retaining more nurse practitioners (NPs), which are registered nurses with masters or doctorate degrees and additional training. But physician groups such as the California Medical Association strongly lobbied against the bill, saying NPs do not have adequate training to practice independently, and that the move would exacerbate health care disparities by creating a two-tiered system of doctors and NPs.
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