WVNA ACTION ALERT - Amend SB 956 (PA Bill) and include provisions of HB 5681 (APRN Bill) !!
Posted 2 days ago
West Virginia Nurses: We Need Your Voice
West Virginia nurses, the final days of the legislative session are here, and your voice is needed.
The West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA) is asking nurses across the state to contact the House Health Committee Delegates and ask them to please place SB 956 on the agenda and to please amend SB 956, the Physician Assistant bill, to include the provisions of HB 5681, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) bill.
Recently, SB 956 passed the West Virginia Senate unanimously (34-0). The bill removes the requirement that physician assistants practice under physician supervision or a collaborative agreement.
WVNA is requesting that similar modernization be extended to APRNs by incorporating the language of HB 5681 into SB 956 and removing the collaborative agreement requirement for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.
This is a long-standing workforce issue. In previous legislative sessions, the APRN bill has passed the House of Delegates, demonstrating consistent legislative support for addressing this barrier to care.
Removing the collaborative agreement requirement will help:
- Expand access to primary care, women's health, prenatal care, behavioral health, and chronic disease management
• Improve access to care in rural and underserved communities
• Reduce delays in treatment for patients
• Support small and rural clinics across West Virginia
Research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and national health policy organizations consistently shows that care provided by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses is safe, effective, and comparable in quality to physician-provided care, with high levels of patient satisfaction and strong outcomes (Martin, Buck, & Zhong, Journal of Nursing Regulation, 2023).
Across the country, 27 states, the Veterans Administration, and U.S. military health systems already allow APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training.
This reform does not increase state spending and does not reduce accountability. It simply removes an outdated administrative barrier so West Virginians can receive timely care.
What you as a WV Nurse can do
Please contact the House Health Committee Delegates and share this message
WV House Health Committee Delegates emails are below.
Legislators need to hear directly from nurses who care for patients every day.
Your personal experiences as a nurse are powerful. If possible, add a brief note about:
- challenges patients face accessing care
- delays caused by administrative barriers
- rural healthcare shortages
- your experience caring for West Virginia families
Prompt/Message Nurses Can Use and Send
Hello Delegate,
I am a _______ nurse in West Virginia, and I am asking for your support to please put SB 956 on the agenda and to please amend SB 956, the Physician Assistant bill, to include the provisions of HB 5681, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) bill.
SB 956 passed the Senate unanimously (34-0) and in previous legislative sessions the APRN bill has passed the House of Delegates.
Removing the collaborative agreement requirement will allow APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training and help expand access to care across West Virginia, especially in rural communities.
Research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and national health policy organizations consistently shows that care provided by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses is safe, effective, and comparable in quality to physician-provided care, with high levels of patient satisfaction and strong outcomes (Martin, Buck, & Zhong, Journal of Nursing Regulation, 2023).
As a nurse caring for patients in our state, (include your own language & stories here) I see firsthand the need to improve access to care.
Please support adding SB 956 to the agenda and amending SB 956, to include the provisions of HB 5681, before the legislative session concludes.
Thank you for your service to West Virginia.
Social media Posts
After sending your emails please post on our social media pages (Instagram, Facebook and Linked In).
"I contacted my legislators today to support removing barriers to care and allowing APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training.
Nurses are advocating for our patients and communities."
#WVNursesForAPRNs #WVNursesTogether
WV House of Delegates House Health Committee
Please copy and paste emails BCC