Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Fact Sheet

• There are 4128 advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) in Washington State¹
• ARNPs provide about 10% of the generalist outpatient visits in Washington State
• Required Education: Graduate Degree
• 9 Specialty Areas: Certified Nurse Midwife, Neonatal, Pediatrics, Family Practice, Adult, Geriatrics, Psychiatric, Certified Nurse Anesthesia, Acute Care
• Independent licensure under the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
• Continuous national certification is mandated
• Authorized to prescribe both legend² and Schedule II-V (controlled substances)
• Mandatory continuing education for state license renewal and recertification
• Mandatory practice hours for state license renewal
• Services covered with direct reimbursement by all major insurance groups plus Medicare, Medicaid and Labor and Industries
• Diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions, with emphasis on preventive health, early detection, patient education, and advocacy
• Works as an independent practitioner and collaborates with other health care professionals

¹ Washington Center for Nursing, November 2007
² Legend drugs are any medications that require a prescription.

Selected References

Horrocks, Anderson et al. Systematic review of whether nurse practitioners working in primary care can provide equivalent care to doctors. The British Medical Journal, 2002, Apr 6; 324: 819-23.

Laurant M, Reeves D, Hermens R, Braspenning J, Grol R & Sibbald, B. (2006). Substitution of doctors by nurses in primary care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD001271. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001271.pub2.

Lenz, E.R., Mundinger, M.O., Kane, R.L., Hopkins, S.C. and Lin, S.X (2004). Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: Two-year Follow up. Medical Care Research and Review 61 (3): 332-351.

Naylor, M.D., Brooten, D.A., Campbell, R.L., Maislin, G., McCauley, K.M. & Schwartz, J.S. (2004). Transitional care of older adults hospitalized with heart failure: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 52(5): 675-684