Governor Shapiro proposes policy to help nurse practitioners across Pennsylvania

At the 2025 Budget Proposal, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a policy that would greatly benefit nurse practitioners.

"Giving full practice authority to highly educated, highly qualified nurse practitioners who work under a licensed physician for at least three years,” said Shapiro.

It's a policy that's been debated for years, but Shapiro said it could help rural areas access much needed healthcare. 

“In rural counties, there is one primary care physician for every 522 residents,” said Shapiro.

A few hours after the budget proposal, the Pennsylvania Medical Society released a statement. They said they were “disappointed in the governor's recent position” and that “patient safety is compromised” when nurse practitioners practice without physician supervision.

However, one nurse practitioner in Lackawanna County says there's really no need for supervision. 

"I practice in primary care. I pretty much do everything that a family practice physician can do, but I'm a family-practice nurse practitioner; there's not much difference,” said Allyson Favuzza, a nurse practitioner at Hometown Healthcare.

In fact, she says there is little supervision in primary care. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education and clinical training.

"There are no requirements for the physician to see my patients, practice in the same spot I practice in, sign my charts, co-sign my prescriptions. The physician has no physical job other than to put his name on a piece of paper and say yes If I have a question I can ask him,” said Favuzza.

Twenty-seven states already allow nurse practitioners to practice without having to have a physician supervise them.

Source: WNEP, The News StationI used to practice in Port Jervis New York, which is right over the border from Pennsylvania, I cross the border into New York, I don't need a physician to collaborate with me. I walk back over the border in Pennsylvania, all of a sudden, I need a collaborative agreement with a physician,” said Favuzza.

Source: WNEP, The News Station