Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Florida Nurse Practice Act and Board of Nursing Rules Create No Unreasonable Barriers to Producing New Nurses

Report 07-04, January 2007




Report Summary

  • Florida, like other states, faces a longstanding nursing shortage and concerns have been raised that the Nurse Practice Act and its associated rules may create unnecessary barriers to addressing this problem. The act and rules contain four provisions that potentially could limit the state's ability to produce or attract more nurses: faculty credential requirements, clinical ratio requirements, limitations on the use of simulators in lieu of clinical experiences, and limitations on advanced nurse practitioner prescription authority. However, only the limitation on nurse practitioner prescription authority was consistently cited by stakeholders as a genuine barrier to addressing the nursing shortage.
  • The Florida Board of Nursing's power to set standards for nursing programs is typical of that of other states; the nursing boards in 43 other states have the power to set standards for the nursing programs in their jurisdiction. In the remaining six states, the board of nursing has either restricted or no authority to set standards for nursing programs.
  • Stakeholders do not have a consensus on whether the state would benefit from reorganizing the scope of practice section of Florida's Nurse Practice Act.


Related Reports
  1. Supplemental Report: Florida Nursing Education Programs 2012-13
    Report 14-10 May 2014
  2. Florida's Nursing Education Programs Continued to Expand in 2013, While Licensure Exams Passage Rates of New Programs Declined
    Report 14-03 January 2014
  3. Supplemental Report: Florida Nursing Education Programs 2012-13
    Report 13-09 June 2013
  4. Florida's Nursing Education Programs Continued to Expand in 2012 with Increases in Program Capacity, Student Enrollment, and Graduates
    Report 13-03 January 2013
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
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