Global Signature Authority for APRNs (SB196)
ANA-Ohio supports advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and their professional organizations in their efforts to secure global signature authority for Ohio’s APRNs as proposed in SB 196 currently before the 135th Ohio General Assembly. SB 196 would update Ohio’s statutes and match APRNs’ paperwork authority with their current patient care authority. This is known as “global signature authority.”
Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) is the bill’s sponsor. In her testimony before the senate health committee, she noted, (the measure) “allows APRNs to sign documents that are already within their scope of practice. It has been in development for over a year and the subject of intense collaborative efforts between the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN) and the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA). Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted broad-based signature authority laws (Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.)”
APRNs regularly sign forms associated with patient care as part of their everyday practice. These forms can include orders for treatment, referrals to specialists, health status documentation, and more. Unfortunately, outdated policies sometimes prevent schools, agencies, or other health care providers from accepting forms with an APRN’s signature thus creating delays for patients.
As a professional organization for all registered nurses, ANA-Ohio is committed to efforts that promote timely access to care thus promoting more seamless access to needed health care services. ANA-Ohio advocates for nurses and the important role they play in facilitating affordable accessible, holistic health care provided by well-qualified individuals to all populations. Recognizing APRNs’ signature on forms reduces cost and promotes efficiency, timely care, and patient choice.
