FAQs
How many nurse practitioners can a physician supervise in South Carolina?
South Carolina
Nurse Practitioner Collaboration

How many nurse practitioners can a physician supervise in South Carolina?

Chris Turitzin
•
Updated
December 9, 2025

In South Carolina, the number of nurse practitioners a physician can supervise is capped at six full-time equivalent (FTE) clinicians, counted together with physician assistants. Practically, this means a physician may work with up to six FTE APRNs (or any APRN/PA combination totaling six FTEs) in clinical practice at any one time1.

Physicians may work with more than six individual APRNs and/or PAs if their combined part-time hours do not exceed six FTEs23. These ratio limits do not apply when the physician is serving only as a back-up physician23. Note that South Carolina law describes this relationship as physicians “working with” and “supporting” APRNs rather than using the term “supervise”2.

Citations

  1. South Carolina Code of Laws §40-47-195 (D)(1)(c)
  2. South Carolina Board of Nursing, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Implementation of New Law Governing APRN Practice (September 2019)
  3. South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, FAQs Regarding Implementation of New Law Governing PA Practice, Point 13 (August 2019)
Chris Turitzin
Chris, founded Single Aim Health in 2024 to provide clinicians, especially NPs and PAs, with essential services for launching and growing their practices. A Stanford graduate in Product Design, Chris co-founded Momentus Media, which was acquired by Facebook, and worked as a Product Manager there. He later gained expertise in digital health through leadership roles at Bicycle Health, Virta Health, and founding Wink Health. Now, he is using his experience to help clinicians through Single Aim Health.
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Disclaimer: The regulatory research, summaries, and tools provided by Single Aim, LLC are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. While we strive to ensure accuracy, healthcare laws vary by state and may change over time. You should always consult a licensed attorney familiar with healthcare regulations in your specific state before making decisions related to you clinical and operational needs for compliance. Single Aim is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Use of our materials does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Need legal guidance? We recommend contacting a licensed healthcare attorney in your state or using professional associations such as the American Health Law Association (AHLA) or your state’s medical or nursing board for referrals.