Amendment ID: S2769-23

Amendment 23

CRNA prescriptive practice

Messrs. Pacheco, Welch and Tran, Ms. Gobi and Ms. Moran move that the proposed new draft be amended by striking out section 44 and inserting in place thereof the following:

SECTION 44.  Said chapter 112 is amended by striking out section 80H, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 80H. (a) A nurse anesthetist may issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics pursuant to guidelines mutually developed and agreed upon by the nurse and a supervising nurse anesthetist with independent prescriptive practice authority, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board of Nursing; provided, however, that supervision under this section by a nurse anesthetist with independent prescriptive practice authority shall be limited to written prescriptions and medication orders and the ordering of tests and therapeutics. A prescription issued by a nurse anesthetist under this subsection shall include the name of the nurse anesthetist with independent prescriptive practice authority with whom the nurse anesthetist developed and signed mutually agreed upon guidelines.

A nurse anesthetist shall have independent practice authority to issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics without the supervision described in this subsection if the nurse anesthetist has completed not less than 2 years of supervised prescriptive practice following certification from a board-recognized certifying body; provided, however, that supervision of prescriptive practice shall be conducted by a nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority who meets minimum qualification criteria promulgated by the Board of Nursing.

In the alternative, the Board of Nursing shall allow a nurse anesthetist to exercise such independent prescriptive practice authority upon satisfactory demonstration of alternative professional or educational experience if the board determines that the nurse anesthetist has a demonstrated record of alternative knowledge or is board certified and licensed in the practice of selecting, dispensing and administering controlled substances as defined by Chapter 94C and has good conduct consistent with professional licensure obligations required by each jurisdiction in which the nurse anesthetist has been licensed.

(b) The Board of Nursing shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.