Nurse practitioners renew push for independence from physician oversight in Pa.

This story was originally published by the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Last year, Family Practice and Counseling Services Network hired a psychiatric nurse practitioner to assist with the mental health needs of a “medically underserved” clientele. But CEO Emily Nichols said it would be nearly six months before they saw a single patient at the Philadelphia Federally Qualified Health Center, since Pennsylvania requires nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice underneath a physician. “And that’s just o...