The Impact of Varied State Regulatory Requirements on Nurse Practitioner Graduate Mobility

Nurse practitioner programs exist in all 50 states and all 50 states have different regulatory rules that govern the education and practice of nurse practitioners. Most educators tend to prepare graduates for the regulatory environment in the state where the program resides which is a logical thing to do. However, in our mobile society graduates often move to other states and need to have the ability to be successfully licensed for practice in their new home state. At times, varying state regulations make this difficult. The purpose of this presentation is to suggest regulatory issues that educators should consider when developing or modifying a nurse practitioner educational program. This is important in order to assure maximum mobility for their graduates. Additional suggestions will be made that educators may share with graduates in preparation for moving to a new state. For example, recognized titles (i.e. population foci) vary among states. When developing programs, educators should ask themselves if a program title will be universally acceptable? Can dual programs demonstrate unique content and practice in each of the population areas? Do the clinical hours in a program match the didactic focus? Is the DNP acceptable as entry level preparation for the NP role? These are a few of the areas where regulation and education may diverge. These issues will be considered within the context of the need for innovative education and the purpose of regulation. The impact of the Consensus Model  for APRN Regulation and the APRN Compact will also be discussed as methods for simplifying and unifying regulation of nurse practitioner education. Resources for educators will also be shared.