Senate Bill 2996, as introduced, will modernize state law and retire the requirement for NPs to maintain career long joint protocols with a collaborating physician in order to be able to order medications and devices.  

As introduced, S2996 would:  

• Improve access to care by eliminating the requirement that an advanced practice nurse (APN) maintain career long joint protocols with a collaborating physician to be able to order medications and devices. An APN with more than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice would no longer be required to have a formal collaborating agreement with a collaborating provider in order to prescribe medication.  
• Streamline patient care by authorizing APNs to sign, stamp, verify, or endorse a document which requires the signature, stamp, or verification, or endorsement of a physician.  
• Update CE requirements by requiring APNs to complete 10 continuing education contact hours in pharmacology during each biennial period.  
• Allow New Jersey to meet one of the Rural Health Transformation Program commitments for federal funds. 

Your voice matters!   

AANP invites our members to connect to their legislators in support of legislation to retire the collaborative agreement. We have included a template for you to use when reaching out.  

Increase the impact of your message! Consider adding a personal story to illustrate for lawmakers the direct impact and meaningful improvements that retiring the collaborative agreement as a condition of prescribing would bring to your practice, your patients, and your community and any hardships you anticipate with the end of the waiver. If you choose to do so, here are a few guidelines to help.  

Personal Story Guidelines:  

• Give concrete examples of how these changes could impact patient care, options to open or expand NP businesses, refer to NP providers in your area or hire new graduates.  
• Focus on the impact to patients.  
• Stay positive; do not disparage other health care providers