The Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians recommends direct on-site, daily supervision of mid-level providers, and requires that supervision be explicitly transferred to another physician when the supervising physician is unavailable.

 

Recognizing special situations where direct, on-site supervision is not always available, the requirement that the supervising physician be immediately available, either in person or by telecommunications. The supervising physician must be physically available, within 20 miles or 30 minutes if the physician is not on-site.

 

No Physician should be allowed to supervise more than 4 mid-level providers at one time.

 

Require that all delegated services be within the scope of practice of both the mid-level provider and the supervising physician. (AA – 99) Readopted as written by the 2004 Board of Directors; Readopted by the 2009 Board of Directors; Readopted as edited by the 2015 Board of Directors

 

The LAFP position is that advanced nurse practitioners should not be granted full license authority.

A nurse practitioner should only function in an integrated practice arrangement under the direction and responsible supervision of a practicing, licensed physician. In no instance may duties be delegated to a nurse practitioner for which the supervising physician does not have the appropriate training, experience and demonstrated competence.

Adopted 8/7/2015 by the General Assembly

Background Information
AAFP Policy

The AAFP position is that the term "nurse practitioner" should be reserved for those who undergo specific training programs following attainment of a Registered Nurse (R.N.) license. Following licensure as an R.N., the nurse desiring to function as a nurse practitioner should be certified rather than licensed as a nurse practitioner.

The nurse practitioner should not function as an independent health practitioner. The AAFP position is that the nurse practitioner should only function in an integrated practice arrangement under the direction and responsible supervision of a practicing, licensed physician. In no instance may duties be delegated to a nurse practitioner for which the supervising physician does not have the appropriate training, experience and demonstrated competence.

The AAFP position is that the training programs preparing nurse practitioners, like the training for all other health care providers, should be constantly monitored to assure the quality of training provided and that the number of graduates reflects demonstrated needs.
The AAFP supports the concept of patient and third-party payment for services of nurse practitioners only where services are provided in an integrated practice arrangement.

(1984)
(2014 COD)