A Comparison of APRN Regulations in North Carolina and Minnesota

This report compares and contrasts the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) regulations of North Carolina and Minnesota. It highlights key differences in prescriptive authority, scope of practice, and the role of the state's Board of Nursing. The report examines how North Carolina restricts APRN practice, requiring physician supervision and the use of the Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS) for prescribing. In contrast, it details how Minnesota allows APRNs greater independence, including the ability to prescribe and administer controlled substances independently. The report also discusses the implications of these regulations, including potential benefits such as reduced malpractice suits and lower healthcare costs, and suggests strategies for adherence, like collaborative agreements between APRNs and physicians. The report references scholarly sources to support its findings and provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory landscape affecting APRNs in the two states.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL NURSING AND STATE-LEVEL REGULATIONS 1
APRN Board of Nursing Regulations of North Carolina Versus Minnesota
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PROFESSIONAL NURSING AND STATE-LEVEL REGULATIONS 2
APRN Board of Nursing Regulations of North Carolina Versus Minnesota
All states require Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to abide by set
regulations that determine their legal scope of practice, set obligations for licensing, establish
their roles and titles identified in the state ("State Board of Nursing Defined and Explained,"
2012). Some of the regulations from different states may be similar or different.
North Carolina (NC) restricts practice, which is guided by regulations from the NC
Board of Nursing (BON) besides the Medical Board. In contrast, Minnesota currently allows
full nurse practice, whose law is under the state BON. Under the prescriptive authority,
APRNs in North Carolina can prescribe but only under the supervision of a physician and by
using the Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS). However, APRNs in Minnesota
can independently offer drug prescriptions, collection, dispensation, and administration, as
well as Schedules II-V controlled substances. Through the practice regulation, the state BON
of Minnesota permits APRNs to have practice authority at work but this authority is
regulated. Also, Minnesota APRNs practise independently in the state. On the other hand,
APRNs’ legally practice under the supervision of a physician in North Carolina state.
These regulations can benefit APRNs by giving them practice privileges and
independence, leading to decreased malpractice suits and lower health care expenses at the
individual, state, and national levels. One way to adhere to these regulations is by
establishing collaborative agreements between APRNs and physicians. These agreements
describe appropriate protocols, which APRNs must respect – such as in certain
circumstances, APRNs can prescribe certain medications (Louie, 2019).

PROFESSIONAL NURSING AND STATE-LEVEL REGULATIONS 3
References
Louie, K. (2019). Guide to Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice & APRN Practice
Authority. OnlineFNPPrograms.com.
https://www.onlinefnpprograms.com/features/guide-to-aprn-practice-authority/
State Board of Nursing Defined and Explained. (2012). How to Become a Nurse
Practitioner | What is a Nurse Practitioner?.
https://www.graduatenursingedu.org/state-board-of-nursing/