According to the results of a new study in JAMA Health Forum, Nurse Practitioners’ (NPs) involvement can improve end-of-life outcomes for residents with dementia. In the study, NPs were able to increase hospice utilization for residents with dementia while reducing hospitalizations. However, the study also found that the positive outcomes were mitigated by state limitations on NPs scope of practice. Elizabeth White, Ph.D., assistant professor of health services, policy and practice at Brown University and member of the research team, said, “There is a robust body of evidence that NPs provide comparable care to physicians, and within nursing homes specifically, allow for expanded access to high-quality medical care.” As aging services providers seek to develop innovative care models in the face of workforce contractions, studies like this demonstrate new methods for staffing that may expand access to care in the future.