Limitations of practice are systems and structures that influence the quality of services provided by nurse practitioners (NPs) in the healthcare system. In a state like Louisiana where the “reduced practice” regulatory structure is at play, NPs are required to be in career-long collaborations with a supervising healthcare practitioner.
In such an arrangement, the NP’s ability to engage in some tasks that they have been trained to do is limited. Such an environment reduces job satisfaction due to reduced autonomy and responsibility. The full practice structure has been prescribed as ideal by the National Academy of Medicine as It allows NPs to maximize their potential in serving their population foci, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
Nursing professionals should lend their voices to advocacy towards the implementation of the full practice structure in all states in the US.