11/04/11
The American Nurses Association (ANA) called a decision by an Iowa County
District Court judge that invalidated state regulations providing educational
requirements for Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) to order and
supervise fluoroscopy a setback for patients. In the decision, the court stated
that “this case is not about restricting access to medical services or about the
competency of any particular health practitioner to perform procedures.”
However, the court went on to state that Iowa law “does not provide [the Iowa
Board of Nursing] with unfettered discretion to allow ARNPs to engage in the
practice of medicine and it specifically prohibits the expansion of nursing
practice into areas of medicine absent recognition of the medical professions.”