Implications of the National Practitioner Data Bank for nurse practitioners

The National Practitioner Data Bank is a new federal repository of data on malpractice payments and adverse actions taken against the clinical privileges and licenses of all health care practitioners. This article summarizes the law governing the data bank and its implications for nurse practitioners. Specific reporting requirements are discussed, as well as guidelines for those who must and those who can access the data bank. This article also explains how NPs are notified when reports are made and gives methods for correcting errors in reports.