What are the BEST and WORST States to practice as an NP?

I am speaking primarily from two perspectives here:

1. The degree to which NP's are accepted, recognized, and utilized in that area/state.

2. The degree to which state law recognizes NP's, and grants them autonomy, and privledges such as the ability to write prescriptions.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Hmmm, I'm wondering about my state, The People's Republic of Massachusetts. It's pretty progressive about most things, but I don't know about NP status. I once saw a book in the library that listed the details of NP regulations in each state, but was so old, it was worthless. Things are changing all the time.

I wonder if anybody knows where to access this kind of information. It really is frustrating that each state is different. There is probably no clearing house for all this info, but one would think our rich federal government could produce such a thing.

Diahni

Hello, Diahni,

If you will look back through the thread, there are links that will outlines what each state's SOP are.

Yay Massachusetts! I think in general things are pretty good here, though they may be better in states with less of an MD presence. Sort of related, I was looking for an NP for my mom outside Chicago and found essentially none. So, my questions to piggy-back on Diahni:

a) what is the best site for finding an NP, if you are a patient?

b) does the number of NPs practicing in a particular area serve as a good marker of how NPs are treated there? I found loads on NPs in the Boston area, but just a handful in Chicagoland.

Thoughts?

Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.

I've hear Arizona is one of the best as far as southern states. You can legally open a clinic there without an MD whereas in Texas you have to pay a MD to be at the clinic 20% of the time.

What about Maryland?

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I'm hoping California is good because I'm starting a masters entry NP program and plan to survive in the ridiculously costly Bay Area.

:) hello I was wondering how is CT??

Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.
I'm not the first person to ask this but only one person seems to be offering more detail about why Illinois is such a terrbiel place to be an NP. Several people have mentioned it's among the worst, but only one person has offered her 2 cents (thanks, mamanaynay!). Any body else want to comment? IL is also not ranked well on one of the websites that offers a measure of job conditions for NPs.

From what I know, that response is essentially it. The AMA keeps the use of NPs limited, as well as keeping the NP salaries artificially low. That, in itself, is enough to make it undesireable.

Search for posts by traumaRUs. She has some advice on this topic as well.

Worst state? Georgia, hands down....we are in "good old boy" country here......Hopefully soon things will change, although I'm not holding my breath!

Hello. We should not be stereotyping. The CDC is in Atlanta, hardly a group of yahoos.

Hello. We should not be stereotyping. The CDC is in Atlanta, hardly a group of yahoos.

Everybody,

Would be nice to have a resource with side-by-side comparisons of states.

If anybody knows of such a thing, do tell. Matter of fact, I'm going to check my library now. The data probably changes from year to year, though.

Diahni

RE: Info about nurse practitioners:

There is a journal with a web site:

http://www.tnpj.com/pt/re/nursepract

On amazon, it looks like books are either reviews for certification exams, or specifics about the practice. Pubmed has an abstract about statistics from the government concerning state regulations, but it's not exactly new.

Each state definitely will have their rules online, but as far as knowing the "real deal" about working state to state, allnurses.com seems like a reliable source, eh?

Diahni

Try this. It's called the Pearson Report and has information on all the states.

http://www.webnp.net/ajnp08.html

http://www.webnp.net/downloads/pearson_report08/ajnp_pearson08.pdf

David Carpenter, PA-C

Thanks, David.

Try this. It's called the Pearson Report and has information on all the states.

http://www.webnp.net/ajnp08.html

http://www.webnp.net/downloads/pears..._pearson08.pdf

David Carpenter, PA-C

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