Clinical nurse specialist prescriptive authority and the legislative process

Despite certification and graduate education, clinical nurse specialists are denied prescriptive authority in many states. Restrictions on their scope of practice and prescriptive authority are barriers to potential contributions to the health care delivery system. The article describes the experience of the New Mexico Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists in the process of obtaining prescriptive authority. It discusses council formation, lobbying activities, the legislative process, and ways to become politically involved. Clinical nurse specialists are encouraged to become politically active and work through their state nurses association to change restrictive policies.