Nursing Certification and Licensure in Maryland Essay

Nursing Certification and Licensure in Maryland Essay

In Maryland, the term “Nurse practitioner” refers to a registered nurse who is certified by the Board to practice as a nurse practitioner in accordance with state regulations and bylaws (Buppert, 2021). The Maryland Board of Nursing issues certifications to those who qualify to work as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in the state. Maryland is a compact state, meaning that if you declare the state in which you live as your permanent address and that state is part of the Registered Nurse Compact, you can practice there. For instance, if you reside in Virginia and hold a Virginia Compact license, you will provide a copy of your Virginia RN license with your NP application.

The application process for certification in the state of Maryland is based on your RN licensure status. To apply, you must provide the following information to the Maryland Board of Nursing: whether you have or ever had a Maryland RN number; if it is current, inactive, or nonrenewed, you must submit the following: a certification application, declaration of residence form, sealed official transcript(s), a copy of current national certification or letter of eligibility to take the certification exam, and complete the NP certification application in its entirety. If you are currently licensed in a Compact State, you need to attach a copy of your current registered nurse license.

An NP must also have their fingerprints taken and run through the Criminal Information Justice System (CJIS) to confirm their suitability for practice. In addition to the above, all nurse practitioner programs must be approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing. Your program of study must be approved before the application will be processed. Therefore, you must submit your transcript(s), which must show proof of having completed the following, along with other coursework: Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Pathophysiology, as well as Advanced Physical Assessment.

If applying for Graduate NP status, you need to complete the GRADUATE AGREEMENT as part of your Attestation document by accessing the following website to complete the Graduate Supervision forms: http://mbon.maryland.gov/Documents/graduate

In Maryland, Nurse practitioners renew their license every year on the 28th day of their birth month. There are no CE requirements, but they must maintain national certifications.

Maryland, by designation, is a full practice state where licensure laws permit all NPs to evaluate patients, diagnose, order, and interpret diagnostic tests, and initiate and manage treatments, including prescribing medications and controlled substances, under the exclusive licensure authority of the state board of nursing. This is the model recommended by the National Academy of Medicine and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Three dynamic components influence the practice environment for nurse practitioners (NPs) in Maryland: Clinical practice, the political system, and professional relationships. The NP role has evolved and developed over the years based mainly on these three components interacting with each other to create the setting for NP practice in the state.

Clinical practice in Maryland has also been influenced by the educational standards adopted by national associations like the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), and American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

In the sphere of professional relationships, Nurse practitioners have collaborative and cooperative relationships with a wide variety of healthcare practitioners and professionals. Nurse practitioners are not limited to where they can practice. They provide their services in any setting wherever healthcare is needed, including schools, communities, prisons, occupational health centers, as well as other state and federal institutions.

The environment in which nurse practitioners practice their craft is not devoid of political influence. Nurse practitioners in Maryland have been politically organized, legislatively active, and widely effective. NPs have returned to the legislature to wage strong campaigns to increase the NP role so that they might more fully advocate for patients and increase access to healthcare. Maryland Nurse Practitioners have a strong legislative committee that meets with legislators to educate them about the important role they play in society and help members respond to critical issues by contacting legislators across the state.

In a nutshell, requirements for NPs in Maryland are rigorous, and opportunities available to them to practice in any healthcare setting are flexible. Being a full practice state, nurse practitioners are tasked with a significant obligation to provide excellent services to maintain their licensure. Negligent responses to patients’ healthcare needs can jeopardize the maintenance of their licenses. This situation will improve services rendered to patients by providing them with the best healthcare.

References

Buppert, C. (2021). Nurse Practitioner’s Business Practice and Legal Guide (7th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning).

University of Maryland. (n.d.). DEA License Information. DEA License Information | Division of Research. https://research.umd.edu/dea-license-info.

State practice environment. American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (n.d.). https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/state-practice-environment.

https://www.npamonline.org/page/34

The Summary of the Practice Guidelines for Nurse Practitioners in Maryland

The state of Maryland does not require physician collaboration or supervision for nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners in Maryland can practice independently. A registered nurse degree and a nurse practitioner graduate degree are required to get licensed as a nurse practitioner in Maryland (Buppert, 2021; Maryland Board of Nursing, 2020).

Nurse practitioners must apply to the Board of nursing to get certified according to their desired specialization. Requirements needed to get a nurse practitioner license include earning a master’s degree in an accredited nursing school. The nurse must also have an active registered nurse license and hold a national certification from the AANPNCB or other national certifying body recognized by the Board. The applicant must demonstrate written and oral competency in the English language and must pay all required fees to become certified as a nurse practitioner. All the specific requirements can be found on the Maryland Board of Nursing website.

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A nurse practitioner may independently perform comprehensive physical assessments of patients, complete a birth or death certificate, witness an advanced directive, diagnose common acute or chronic problems, prescribe drugs, and many other functions listed under COMAR regulation 10.27.07.03, listed on the Maryland Board of Nursing website.

Regulations and barriers to nurse practitioner independent practice in Maryland

A nurse practitioner may obtain a DEA license by first getting a Maryland State Controlled Dangerous Substances Registration (CDS) with the Office of Controlled Substances Administration (OCSA). After the state of Maryland has approved registration for prescribing controlled substances, the nurse practitioner will then use the state license to apply for a DEA license online.

Nurse practitioners can only prescribe schedule II to V controlled substances. They must also keep a record of all their prescriptions for up to five years. Nurse practitioners in Maryland have come a long way to gain independent practice. The two nurse practitioner associations found on the Board of nursing website in Maryland are the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland, Inc. and the Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians. The main objectives that these associations stand for are continuing education for nurse practitioners and being a voice for the nurse practitioners in the legislative arm and the public (Buppert, 2021; Maryland Board of Nursing, 2020).

Surprise Findings during Research

As a resident in Maryland, I can practice as a nurse in Virginia under the compact nursing license. Therefore, I decided to research the laws governing nurse practitioners in the state of Virginia. I was

surprised to find out that there was a huge difference between the nurse practitioners in Maryland versus Virginia. Nurse practitioners in Virginia cannot practice independently until after five years of collaborative practice with a physician who will attest to that experience before being deemed worthy to practice independently. I was also surprised that a nurse practitioner could be certified by the Board of Medicine or the Board of Nursing in Virginia, unlike Maryland, where the only certifying body is the Board of Nursing (Buppert, 2021; Maryland Board of Nursing, 2020).

References

Maryland Board of Nursing (2020). Advanced Practice Registered Nursing: Nurse Practitioners.

Buppert, C. (2021). Nurse Practitioner’s Business Practice and Legal Guide (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett.