Restraint Of Trade In Nursing

Restraint of trade is becoming a more commonplace as nurse practitioners (NPs) attempt to expand or work within their full scope of practice (Horton, 2013). In the health system, many NPs are being restricted by physicians to oversee patients, as well as restricting the mileage with which one can collaborate with a physician. This affect patient’s care and productivity. The issue with restraint of trade is that physicians are not wanting to collaboration with NPs and the ones who do collaborate do so to meet the legal requirement only on paper. Issues with restraint of trade are that physicians are afraid NPs are going to take away their work, their income and patients (Horton, 2013). In true view, collaboration is working together with nurse

practitioners toward achieving a common goal. States legislatures and state’s board need to have a rethink on the effect of restraint of trade affecting patient’s care and allow NP to practice to their fully capabilities with prescriptive authority. Government and medical board association needs to understand that NP's enhance and improve physician care; and allow them to concentrate on more acuity patients. Nevertheless, the legislature and medical association needs to know that NP are capable and train to treat and provide care just as a regular physician would. More focus is to be placed on communication, patient outcome improvement and team work rather than limitation of what NPs can do and practice.