Can a nurse practitioner treat without a supervising physician in Virginia?
Who treats · part of The Practice Perimeter
Short answer
Only if the NP meets the statute's subsection I autonomy requirements — otherwise a written or electronic practice agreement for collaboration and consultation with at least one patient care team physician is required, plus the joint APRN license.
An advanced practice registered nurse requires a JOINT license from the Board of Medicine and the Board of Nursing, and it is unlawful to practice as one in the Commonwealth without it. Virginia does not treat advanced practice as a certification layered on a nursing license; it is its own joint license.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(B) · verified Sep 2, 2026 · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice
Related Virginia rules
⚠️ autonomy is earned, not granted with the license. Every nurse practitioner who does not meet the requirements of subsection I SHALL maintain appropriate collaboration and consultation, evidenced in a written or electronic practice agreement, with at least one patient care team physician. A nurse practitioner who does meet those requirements may practice without one.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(C) · verified Sep 2, 2026
Two further details a practice should know: collaboration and consultation between an APRN and a patient care team physician may be provided through telemedicine, and physicians on a patient care team may require the APRN to carry professional liability insurance with limits equal to the statutory cap on damages. Certified registered nurse anesthetists are outside this regime and practice under the supervision of a licensed physician, podiatrist or dentist.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(C) · verified Sep 2, 2026
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Related Virginia questions
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