Do NPs need a supervising physician in Pennsylvania?

Yes. In Pennsylvania, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners need a collaborating physician to practice. A CRNP’s scope of practice—including medical diagnosis, prescribing, and other therapeutic measures—may be exercised only when a written collaborative agreement with a physician is in place, and the physician must be immediately available for consultation¹².

For CRNPs with prescriptive authority, the collaborative agreement must also include additional elements: identification of the collaborating physician(s) and at least one substitute, license numbers, the CRNP's specialty and permitted drug categories, how often the physician will personally see patients, and documentation of the CRNP's liability coverage. This agreement must be reviewed and updated at least every two years²⁴⁵.

Collaborating physicians must hold a current Pennsylvania medical license. Collaborative agreements must also include an emergency services plan, the physician’s immediate availability, and regular chart reviews of patients under the CRNP’s care⁶³².