Gov. Stitt vetoes bill that would allow nurse practitioners to prescribe medications

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill on Friday that would give nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and nurse midwives the permission to prescribe certain medications without a doctor’s supervision.

Senate Bill 458 would have let nurses prescribe class three through five prescriptions. A nurse would not be able to prescribe opioids or attention deficit drugs without a doctor’s supervision. It cleared the Oklahoma House and Senate before being vetoed by Gov. Stitt.

"Although I am aware of the state's healthcare access and workforce challenges, especially in rural communities, SB 458 is not a prudent solution." said Gov. Stitt.

Advocates said the bill would have greatly improved access to healthcare in Oklahoma and lead to better overall health outcomes, while opponents argued it would not expand access to healthcare in rural areas or improve health outcomes.

The Oklahoma State Medical Association said abandoning a team-based approach in independent practice would also be harmful from a training standpoint.

The Association of Oklahoma Nurse Practitioners said Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) hold advanced degrees and must pass rigid, nationally regulated testing. It also said the bill would not change APRNs’ prescribing patterns.

"SB 458 would do one primary thing: enable Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who meet certain criteria to apply for authority to prescribe independent of physician supervision. And that's my biggest concern. While APRNs already have the ability to set up clinics in rural Oklahoma and practice in primary care settings, I don't believe APRNs should be able to prescribe Schedules III through V controlled substances without physician supervision. Further, this bill would allow APRNs to have full practice and prescriptive authority in all specialty categories absent supervision." Stitt continues.

"That part of the bill that would have mandated that the medical licensure boards collaborate to promulgate uniform rules (1) governing supervision requirements and (2) imposing a reasonable limit on the monetary amount a supervising physician may charge for supervision was good and should be explored."

Gov. Stitt says he's seeking other ways to bring healthcare workers to rural Oklahoma.

"Finally, I'd also ask that the Legislature explore other ways to attract frontline healthcare workers to rural communities across the state. A tax credit for qualifying practitioners in rural areas of the state is one such idea."