Advanced practice registered nurses and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

The bill also requires the board, upon granting a person an APRN license, to also grant the person one or more endorsements corresponding to the recognized role or roles for which the person qualifies. The holder of an APRN license may append the title “A.P.R.N." to his or her name, as well as a title corresponding to whichever endorsements that the person possesses.

The bill prohibits any person from using the title “A.P.R.N.," and from otherwise indicating that he or she is an APRN, unless the person is licensed by the board as an APRN. The bill also prohibits the use of titles and abbreviations corresponding to a recognized role unless the person has an endorsement for that role. Under the bill, when an APRN renews his or her APRN license, the board must grant the person the renewal of both the person's RN license and the person's APRN license. The bill requires an APRN to complete continuing education requirements in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics relevant to the APRN's area of practice, including a minimum number of hours regarding best practices in prescribing controlled substances. The bill also requires an APRN, when applying for a license or license renewal or upon request of the board, to submit to the board evidence that he or she has in effect malpractice liability insurance coverage in the minimum amounts required by the rules of the board.

Practice of nurse-midwifery This bill repeals licensure and practice requirements specific to nurse-midwives and the practice of nurse-midwifery, including specific requirements to practice with an obstetrician and maintain malpractice insurance.

Under the bill, “certified nurse-midwife" is one of the four recognized roles for APRNs, and a person who practices nurse-midwifery under current law who satisfies the APRN licensure requirements may apply for and receive an APRN license and a certified nurse-midwife endorsement, except that the bill also requires that a person applying for a certified nurse-midwife endorsement be certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. In addition, the bill prohibits the practice of nurse-midwifery, as defined under current law, without a certified nurse-midwife endorsement.

Advanced practice registered nurse prescribers Under current law, a person licensed as an RN may apply to the board for a certificate to issue prescription orders if the person meets certain requirements established by the board. A person holding the certificate is subject to various practice requirements established by the board and must possess malpractice liability insurance in an amount determined by the board.

The bill eliminates certificates to issue prescription orders and instead provides that the board may grant an APRN who applies for licensure and who meets the education, training, and examination requirements established by the board the authority to issue prescription orders. The bill requires the board to maintain a register of all APRNs who are authorized to issue prescription orders.

Other changes The bill makes numerous other changes throughout the statutes relating to APRNs and APRN prescribers, including changing references to “advanced practice nurse" and “advanced practice nurse prescriber" in favor of the terms “advanced practice registered nurse" and “advanced practice registered nurse who has prescribing authority."