This article chronicles the history of nursing and how expanding the role of nurses was initially justified. It discusses how this expanded role eventually became the role of the nurse practitioner that we are familiar with today.

This article speaks to the many barriers to NP practice such as state regulations, lack of physician knowledge of scope of practice, payer policies not allowing full scope of practice, prescriptive privilege, etc. With the ACA and expanded healthcare coverage, it is necessary to address the barriers to NP practice since NPs will be essential to meeting the healthcare needs in the US over the next few years.