Nurse practitioners in Pennsylvania will now be recognized as primary care providers just as doctors. This is a trend that is likely to continue with a shortage of doctors, increasing costs, and the affordable care act providing healthcare access to millions more individuals. The affordable care act has also reserved funding to help train 15k+ nurse practitioners and registered nurses. Nurses are finally getting the clout, and respect they deserve. They have long been the backbone of our health system. There has never been a better time if your a registered nurse to advance your career through a nurse practitioner program

Amplify’d from www.pennlive.com

Health insurer Highmark Inc. said Wednesday that it will recognize nurse practitioners as primary care providers, a designation that previously applied only to physicians.

One of Highmark’s main intents is to help offset a shortage of doctors.

That will become even more important after 2014, when full implementation of health care reform is expected to add 19 million people to the ranks of the insured and stretch the doctor supply, Vinson said. Read more at www.pennlive.com

You have lived all of you life as an independent person capable of making your own decisions and taking care of yourself. Suddenly one day you realize many years have passed and you need someone to help you occasionally, otherwise you must leave your longtime home and waste away in an elder care facility. Then a miracle occurs! You hear that there is a local clinic staffed by caring nurses who will come to your house a couple of times a week to help with your medical needs. Nurse practitioner programs trains nurses so they can do these very things, become the helpful angels you cannot do without.

You may have seen recently in the news that there is debate over House Bill 605 which would allow nurses to more easily help people. Right now nurses have to be within 15 miles of an associated physician but the new bill would allow greater latitude. Given our aging population, this bill would open up more opportunities for people to enter into nurse practitioner programs at nurse practitioner schools. With the Internet in full swing, they could even attend one of the online nurse practitioner programs.

If you are young and strong, think of when you were feeling bad and needed help -- then think of how it will be when you are much older. You will see that is worth investigating and supporting House Bill 605 which will certainly advance a nurse practitioner program near you. When you are older you will be glad you did.