Nurse Practitioners, Doctors Clash

Nurse practitioners and physicians are headed for another legislative battle over the scope and care of Florida patients. The House Select Committee on Health Care Workforce Innovation on Friday heard more than three hours of testimony from doctors and advanced nurse practitioners, who want to increase their authority, according to the Florida Current. The state’s physician shortage could be lessened if they had more prescribing and diagnosing powers, nurse advocates said.  The Florida Medical Association, however, supports a plan to increase health care access, but does not lift oversight restrictions that now exist for nurse practitioners.