Florida's Advanced Nurse Practice Act 2008

The following is a synopsis of the Advanced Nurse Practice Act. You can find a complete copy here. I know that it’s a little boring to read through, but it is important to understand how your state’s requirements are written. Too often, as a new practitioner, you really can’t find the answers to questions on the internet. I hope to put some of the things that I needed to find on this site.

"Advanced or specialized nursing practice" means, in addition to the practice of professional nursing, the performance of advanced-level nursing acts approved by the board which, by virtue of post basic specialized education, training, and experience, are appropriately performed by an advanced registered nurse practitioner. Within the context of advanced or specialized nursing practice, the advanced registered nurse practitioner may perform acts of nursing diagnosis and nursing treatment of alterations of the health status. The advanced registered nurse practitioner may also perform acts of medical diagnosis and treatment, prescription, and operation which are identified and approved by a joint committee composed of three members appointed by the Board of Nursing, two of whom must be advanced registered nurse practitioners; three members appointed by the Board of Medicine, two of whom must have had work experience with advanced registered nurse practitioners; and the State Surgeon General or the State Surgeon General's designee. Each committee member appointed by a board shall be appointed to a term of 4 years unless a shorter term is required to establish or maintain staggered terms. The Board of Nursing shall adopt rules authorizing the performance of any such acts approved by the joint committee. Unless otherwise specified by the joint committee, such acts must be performed under the general supervision of a practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, or chapter 466 within the framework of standing protocols which identify the medical acts to be performed and the conditions for their performance. The department may, by rule, require that a copy of the protocol be filed with the department along with the notice required by s. 458.348.

An advanced registered nurse practitioner shall perform those functions authorized in this section within the framework of an established protocol that is filed with the board upon biennial license renewal and within 30 days after entering into a supervisory relationship with a physician or changes to the protocol. The board shall review the protocol to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory standards for protocols. The board shall refer to the department licensees submitting protocols that are not compliant with the regulatory standards for protocols. A practitioner currently licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, or chapter 466 shall maintain supervision for directing the specific course of medical treatment. Within the established framework, an advanced registered nurse practitioner may:

(a)  Monitor and alter drug therapies.

(b)  Initiate appropriate therapies for certain conditions.

(c)  Perform additional functions as may be determined by rule in accordance with s. 464.003(3)(d).

(d)  Order diagnostic tests and physical and occupational therapy.

The nurse practitioner may perform any or all of the following acts within the framework of established protocol:

1.  Manage selected medical problems.

2.  Order physical and occupational therapy.

3.  Initiate, monitor, or alter therapies for certain uncomplicated acute illnesses.

4.  Monitor and manage patients with stable chronic diseases.

5.  Establish behavioral problems and diagnosis and make treatment recommendations.