Opinion: Why nurses need more authority

Alleviate this physician shortage and expand the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences has weighed in on this idea of allowing APRNs to do more, in a landmark 2010 report "The Future of Nursing." The IOM conducted an exhaustive review of care provided by APRNs and concluded that properly trained APRNs can independently provide core primary care services as effectively as physicians. In its report, the National Academy of Sciences recommended that "[a]dvanced practice registered nurses should be able to practice to the full extent of their education and training."