KY care shortage prompts non-physicians to seek greater independence

Nurse practitioners and other non-physicians in Kentucky want to practice more independently, or take on more responsibilities, in a largely rural state where 55 of the 120 counties are short on health professionals, according to the federal government. It's a struggle that is playing out in several medical fields. Nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists, for example, are at odds about Gov. Steve Beshear's April decision to exempt some facilities from a federal requirement that certified registered nurse anesthetists be supervised by a physician.