HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

79

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that currently only nurses who have master's degrees in nursing can be recognized as advanced practice registered nurses in Hawaii.  This precludes nurses who earn their doctor of nursing practice or other clinical doctorates in nursing recognized by the Hawaii state board of nursing and directly impacts doctor of nursing practice graduates of the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene and University of Hawaii at Hilo school of nursing.  Similarly, other states' advanced practice registered nurses with doctor of nursing practice degrees are precluded from being recognized as advanced practice registered nurses in Hawaii.

     In 2012, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing reported that all states except Hawaii and West Virginia accept a graduate degree instead of a master's degree provision in their laws for advanced practice registered nurse licensure and certification.  West Virginia has since passed legislation to change its state practice act to reflect "graduate" degree in nursing instead of "master's" degree as a requirement for advanced practice registered nurse licensure.

     The purpose of this Act is to change the degree requirement for advanced practice registered nurse recognition from a master's degree in nursing to a graduate degree in nursing.

     SECTION 2.  Section 457-8.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  [Effective October 1, 2009, the] The board shall grant recognition as an advanced practice registered nurse to a nurse who has:

     (1)  A current, unencumbered license as a registered nurse in this State;

     (2)  An unencumbered license as a registered nurse in all other states in which the nurse has a current and active license;

     (3)  An unencumbered recognition as an advanced practice registered nurse or similar designation in all other states in which the nurse has a current and active recognition as an advanced practice registered nurse;

     (4)  Completed an accredited graduate-level education program [leading to a master's degree as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, a nurse midwife, a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse practitioner;] preparing the nurse for one of the four recognized advanced practice registered nurse roles;

     (5)  A current, unencumbered certification of having passed a national certification examination that measures role and population-focused competencies and is recognized by the board;

     (6)  Maintained continued competencies through recertification in role and population-focused competencies through a national certification program recognized by the board;

     (7)  Acquired advanced clinical knowledge and skills preparing the nurse to provide direct care to patients through a significant educational and practical concentration on the direct care of patients;

     (8)  Demonstrated a greater breadth of knowledge, a greater synthesis of data, greater complexity of skills and interventions, and greater role autonomy than demonstrated by a registered nurse;

     (9)  Been educationally prepared to assume responsibility and accountability for health promotion and maintenance and to assess, diagnose, and manage patient problems through the use and prescription of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions;

    (10)  Acquired clinical experience of sufficient depth and breadth to reflect the intended license; and

    (11)  Paid the appropriate fees."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.


 


 

Report Title:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; Education Requirements

 

Description:

Changes the degree requirement for advanced practice registered nurse recognition from a master's degree in nursing to a graduate degree in nursing.  (HB79 HD1)

 

 

 

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