Nurse Practitioner Licensing Guide for the state of Louisiana
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses (RNs) licensed to carry out tasks considered to be advanced for nurses with only the basic nursing training. They are eligible for such licenses as a result of their completion of a post-basic training program and getting national certification in most states.
Their training equips them to diagnose, examine, draw up clinical management guidelines, prescribe and dispense medications to members of one or more population foci. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) is responsible for issuing licenses to RNs and APRNs. The board recognizes four classes of APRNs which include:
- Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
- Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
- Nurse Specialists (NSs)
NPs account for the majority of APRNs in most states in the US and this may be due to higher pay and perception of authority and responsibility bequeathed to these professionals. The board receives applications all year long and applicants who meet specific requirements as will be covered in the following sections are issued a license as required. The application process usually involves submitting an application form, paying the application fees, and providing all requested supporting documents.