AN ACT

 

1Amending the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), entitled, as
2amended, "An act relating to the practice of professional
3nursing; providing for the licensing of nurses and for the
4revocation and suspension of such licenses, subject to
5appeal, and for their reinstatement; providing for the
6renewal of such licenses; regulating nursing in general;
7prescribing penalties and repealing certain laws," providing
8for the definition of "certified registered nurse
9anesthetist" and for certified registered nurse anesthetists.

10The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11hereby enacts as follows:

12Section 1. Section 2 of the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317,
13No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law, is amended by
14adding a clause to read:

15Section 2. Definitions.--When used in this act, the
16following words and phrases shall have the following meanings
17unless the context provides otherwise:

18* * *

19(16) "Certified registered nurse anesthetist" means a
20registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified

1by the State Board of Nursing as a certified registered nurse
2anesthetist.

3Section 2. Section 3 of the act, amended May 8, 2012 
4(P.L.247, No.35), is amended to read:

5Section 3. Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, 
6Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Use of Title and 
7Abbreviation ["R.N." or] "R.N.," "C.N.S." or "C.R.N.A."; 
8Credentials; Fraud.--(a) Any person who holds a license to 
9practice professional nursing in this Commonwealth, or who is 
10maintained on inactive status in accordance with section 11 of 
11this act, shall have the right to use the titles "nurse" and 
12"registered nurse" and the abbreviation "R.N." No other person 
13shall engage in the practice of professional nursing or use the 
14titles "nurse" or "registered nurse" or the abbreviation "R.N." 
15to indicate that the person using the same is a registered 
16nurse, except that the title "nurse" also may be used by a 
17person licensed under the provisions of the act of March 2, 1956 
18(1955 P.L.1211, No.376), known as the "Practical Nurse Law." No 
19person shall sell or fraudulently obtain or fraudulently furnish 
20any nursing diploma, license, record, or registration or aid or 
21abet therein.

22(b) An individual who holds a license to practice
23professional nursing in this Commonwealth who meets the
24requirements under sections 6.2 and 8.5 of this act to be a
25clinical nurse specialist shall have the right to use the title
26"clinical nurse specialist" and the abbreviation "C.N.S." No
27other person shall have that right.

28(b.1) An individual who holds a license to practice
29professional nursing in this Commonwealth who meets the
30requirements under section 8.8 of this act to be a certified

1registered nurse anesthetist shall have the right to use the
2title "certified registered nurse anesthetist" and the
3abbreviation "C.R.N.A." No other person shall have that right.

4(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), this section shall not
5prohibit the use by a person of a descriptive title for nurse
6assistive personnel. For the purposes of this subsection, the
7term "nurse assistive personnel" shall mean an individual
8providing health care services under the supervision of a
9professional or practical nurse.

<-10(d) The board may issue a certification to a registered
11nurse anesthetist who has completed a course of study considered
12by the board to be equivalent to that required in this
13Commonwealth under sections 6.2 and 8.8 of this act at the time
14such course was completed, or who is licensed or certified by
15another state, territory or possession of the United States or a
16foreign country as deemed equivalent to Pennsylvania's
17certification requirements, and who has met all the
18requirements, including character, elsewhere in this act.

19Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:

20Section 8.8. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist;
21Qualifications.--(a) The board may certify a licensed
22registered nurse as a certified registered nurse anesthetist if
23the nurse satisfies the requirements established by this act.
24Certification of a certified registered nurse anesthetist by the
25board shall expire on the same date as the license of that nurse
26expires. Beginning on the effective date of this section, a
27nurse shall not qualify for initial certification by the board
28unless the nurse holds a master's degree, doctoral degree or
29post-master's certificate from an <-accredited educational program
30in nurse anesthesia that has been approved by the board and that

1prepares graduates to practice as a certified registered nurse
2anesthetist and:

3(1) holds current national certification as a certified
4registered nurse anesthetist <-from a board-recognized national 
5certification organization which required passing of a national 
6certifying examination in nurse anesthesia; and

7(2) meets all other board requirements to practice as a
8certified registered nurse anesthetist.

9(b) A registered nurse who does not have a graduate degree
10as enumerated in subsection (a) shall be qualified for
11certification as a certified registered nurse anesthetist if
12that nurse:

13(1) meets the educational requirements for certified
14registered nurse anesthetists that were in effect in this
15Commonwealth at the time the nurse completed a nurse anesthesia
16educational program; and

17(2) submits evidence of recertification as a certified
18registered nurse <-anesthetist from a board-recognized national 
19certification organization which required passing of a national 
20certifying examination in nurse anesthesia.

21(c) As a condition of biennial certificate renewal by the
22board, a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall:

23(1) Demonstrate Verify that the nurse holds current <-national
24recertification from <-the appropriate national recertifying board
25as recognized by the board <-a board-recognized national
26certification organization which required passing of a national
27certifying examination in nurse anesthesia.

28(2) Submit a renewal application to the board.

29(3) Pay a renewal fee as set by the board.

30(4) In the two years prior to certification renewal,

1complete at least thirty (30) hours of continuing education
2approved by the board, as required by section 12.1.

3(d) For certification under this act, a licensed registered
4nurse shall file a board-prepared application with the board and
5pay a fee as established by the board by regulation.

6(e) A certified registered nurse anesthetist practicing in
7this Commonwealth shall maintain a level of professional
8liability coverage as required for a nonparticipating health
9care provider under the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13),
10known as the "Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error
11(Mcare) Act," and shall not be eligible to participate in the
12Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Fund.

13Section 4. The State Board of Nursing shall promulgate
14regulations to implement the amendment or addition of sections
152(16), 3 and 8.8 of the act within 18 months of the effective
16date of this section.

17Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.