Executive Order by Governor Murphy temporarily suspended the Scope of Practice restrictions for APNs

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are staying safe during these tough times as you continue your efforts to manage the healthcare of your patients and keep them safe. On behalf of the FNAP-NJ, I would like to share with you that our joint efforts with the lobbyists, the NJSNA, the NJ-Society of Psych APNs, and the NJ-Association Of Nurse Anesthetists, it has been made possible for NJ-APN work to gain some temporary recognition as healthcare providers in our state. Governor Murphy signed an Executive Order#112 today to temporarily suspend the restrictions that limit the scope of practice of NJ-APN's during the COVID-10 related public health emergency. I have highlighted the language that addresses the temporary suspension of the scope of practice restrictions which is also copied and pasted below; 

For the duration of the State of Emergency or Public Health Emergency, whichever is longer, the following statutory provisions that may serve to limit the scope of practice of advanced practice nurses are suspended and waived, and compliance with such provisions will not be required, for advanced practice nurses acting within the scope of their education, training, experience, and competence, to the extent that such provisions would otherwise require an advanced practice nurse to:

1. Enter into a joint protocol with an individual collaborating physician who is present or readily available through electronic communication (N.J.S.A. 45:11-49);

2. Include the name, address, and telephone number of a collaborating physician on prescriptions or orders (N.J.S.A. 45:11-49);

3. Review patient charts and records with the collaborating physician (N.J.S.A. 45:11-49); and

4. Obtain the authorization or written approval from a collaborating physician in order to dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment or to determine the medical necessity for services for treatment of substance use disorder (N.J.S.A. 45:11-49.3).

Please sign up via this link to volunteer as an APN https://covid19.nj.gov/volunteer

Thank you and please stay safe!

Amita Avadhani, DNP, DCC, ACNP-BC, NP-C, CCRN, FAANP, FCCM

FNAP-NJ, President