In honor of National Nurses Week, an email has gone out to legislators requesting co-sponsorship of The APRN Modernization Act bill. To read the updated APRN Modernization Act bill, please click here.

Please consider reaching out to your legislator to co-sponsor this bill.

The message to all legislators is as follows:

From: Sen.LeMahieu
Subject: Co-Sponsorship of LRB-0429/1: The APRN Modernization Act

In honor of National Nurses Week, please consider co-sponsoring this bipartisan legislation.

To: All Legislators

From:    Senators Devin LeMahieu, Janis Ringhand, and Patrick Testin

Representatives Mike Rohrkaste and Lisa Subeck

Date: May 9, 2019

Re: Co-Sponsorship of LRB-0429/1: The APRN Modernization Act

Deadline: May 17, 2019

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses with advanced knowledge, degrees and skill.  They include Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and Certified Nurse Midwives.

We have a serious provider shortage.  In the APRN categories, vacancy rates vary between 4 and 11 percent, according to a 2016 study by the Wisconsin Hospital Association.  This shortage is felt all throughout the state, but it is particularly difficult to cope with in rural areas, where healthcare providers are even scarcer.

The APRN Modernization Act will bring Wisconsin in line with the National Consensus Model of Advanced Nurse Licensure.  It will provide clarity to the scope of practice of these important healthcare providers in comparison to other professionals in the state and their peers across state lines.  APRNs are recognized in states all across the country, including our neighbors Minnesota and Illinois.