S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  4611
                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                            I N  S E N A T E
                             April 15, 2013
                               ___________
Introduced  by  Sens.  YOUNG,  AVELLA,  ESPAILLAT,  MONTGOMERY, RITCHIE,
  ROBACH, SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed  to
  be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the nurse
  practitioners  modernization act; and providing for the repeal of such
  provisions upon the expiration thereof
  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
  Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "nurse practitioners modernization act".
  S 2. Subdivision 3 of section 6902 of the education law, as  added  by
chapter 257 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
  3.  (a) (I) The practice of registered professional nursing by a nurse
practitioner, certified under section  [six  thousand  nine]  SIXTY-NINE
hundred  ten  of  this  article AND PRACTICING FOR FEWER THAN THIRTY-SIX
MONTHS AND THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED HOURS, may include  the  diagnosis
of  illness  and  physical conditions and the performance of therapeutic
and corrective measures within a specialty area of practice, in  collab-
oration  with  a  licensed  physician  qualified  to  collaborate in the
specialty involved, provided such services are performed  in  accordance
with  a  written  practice agreement and written practice protocols. The
written practice agreement shall include  explicit  provisions  for  the
resolution  of  any disagreement between the collaborating physician and
the nurse practitioner regarding a matter of diagnosis or treatment that
is within the scope of practice of both.  To  the  extent  the  practice
agreement  does not so provide, then the collaborating physician's diag-
nosis or treatment shall prevail. IN THE  EVENT  THAT  (A)  AN  EXISTING
WRITTEN  PRACTICE AGREEMENT WITH A COLLABORATING PHYSICIAN TERMINATES AS
A RESULT OF THE COLLABORATING  PHYSICIAN  MOVING,  RETIRING,  NO  LONGER
NEEDING  THE  SERVICES OF THE NURSE PRACTITIONER, NO LONGER BEING QUALI-
FIED TO PRACTICE OR UPON HIS OR HER DEATH AND THE NURSE PRACTITIONER  IS
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD10172-01-3
              
             
                          
                
S. 4611                             2
UNABLE  TO  ENTER  INTO  A  NEW  WRITTEN PRACTICE AGREEMENT WITH ANOTHER
COLLABORATING PHYSICIAN; OR IF (B) A NURSE PRACTITIONER OBTAINS APPROVAL
BY THE DEPARTMENT BASED ON A DEMONSTRATION TO  THE  DEPARTMENT  THAT  AN
EXISTING  WRITTEN  PRACTICE  AGREEMENT WAS TERMINATED DUE TO NO FAULT ON
THE PART OF THE NURSE PRACTITIONER, AND THAT THE NURSE  PRACTITIONER  IS
UNABLE  TO  ENTER  INTO  A  NEW  WRITTEN PRACTICE AGREEMENT WITH ANOTHER
COLLABORATING PHYSICIAN FOLLOWING A SHOWING OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT;  THEN:
SUCH  NURSE PRACTITIONER MAY CONTINUE TO PRACTICE PURSUANT TO THIS PARA-
GRAPH WITHIN A SPECIALTY AREA OF PRACTICE FOR A  PERIOD  OF  UP  TO  SIX
MONTHS,  IN  COLLABORATION WITH A NURSE PRACTITIONER WHO HAS BEEN CERTI-
FIED UNDER SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS ARTICLE, WHO HAS  BEEN
PRACTICING  FOR  MORE  THAN  THIRTY-SIX  MONTHS  AND  THREE THOUSAND SIX
HUNDRED HOURS AND WHO IS  QUALIFIED  TO  COLLABORATE  IN  THE  SPECIALTY
INVOLVED,  PROVIDED  THAT  SERVICES  ARE  PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A
WRITTEN PRACTICE AGREEMENT AND  WRITTEN  PRACTICE  PROTOCOLS;  SUCH  SIX
MONTH  TIME  PERIOD FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN NURSE PRACTITIONERS MAY BE
EXTENDED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME NOT TO EXCEED  AN  ADDITIONAL  SIX  MONTHS
UPON A SHOWING OF GOOD CAUSE SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE DEPARTMENT.
  [(b)]  (II) Prescriptions for drugs, devices and immunizing agents may
be issued by a nurse practitioner, under  this  [subdivision]  PARAGRAPH
and  section [six thousand nine] SIXTY-NINE hundred ten of this article,
in accordance with the practice agreement and  practice  protocols.  The
nurse  practitioner  shall obtain a certificate from the department upon
successfully completing a program including an appropriate  pharmacology
component, or its equivalent, as established by the commissioner's regu-
lations,  prior  to  prescribing under this [subdivision] PARAGRAPH. The
certificate issued under section [six thousand nine] SIXTY-NINE  hundred
ten  of  this  article  shall  state  whether the nurse practitioner has
successfully completed such a program or equivalent and is authorized to
prescribe under this [subdivision] PARAGRAPH.
  [(c)] (III) Each practice agreement shall provide for patient  records
review  by the collaborating physician OR, WHERE APPLICABLE, THE COLLAB-
ORATING NURSE PRACTITIONER, in a timely fashion but  in  no  event  less
often  than  every three months. The names of the nurse practitioner and
the collaborating physician  OR,  WHERE  APPLICABLE,  THE  COLLABORATING
NURSE  PRACTITIONER  shall  be clearly posted in the practice setting of
the nurse practitioner.
  [(d)] (IV)  The  practice  protocol  shall  reflect  current  accepted
medical  and  nursing practice, OR WHERE APPLICABLE THE CURRENT ACCEPTED
NURSING PRACTICE.   The protocols shall be  filed  with  the  department
within  ninety  days  of  the  commencement  of  the practice and may be
updated periodically. The commissioner shall make regulations establish-
ing the procedure for the review of protocols and the disposition of any
issues arising from such review.
  [(e)] (V) No physician OR, WHERE APPLICABLE, NURSE PRACTITIONER, shall
enter into practice agreements with more than four  nurse  practitioners
who  are  not located on the same physical premises as the collaborating
physician OR COLLABORATING NURSE PRACTITIONER.
  [(f)] (B) (I) THE PRACTICE OF REGISTERED  PROFESSIONAL  NURSING  BY  A
NURSE  PRACTITIONER,  CERTIFIED  UNDER SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED TEN OF
THIS ARTICLE AND PRACTICING FOR MORE THAN THIRTY-SIX  MONTHS  AND  THREE
THOUSAND  SIX  HUNDRED  HOURS,  MAY INCLUDE THE DIAGNOSIS OF ILLNESS AND
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND THE PERFORMANCE OF  THERAPEUTIC  AND  CORRECTIVE
MEASURES WITHIN A SPECIALTY AREA OF PRACTICE.
  (II)  PRESCRIPTIONS  FOR  DRUGS,  DEVICES AND IMMUNIZING AGENTS MAY BE
ISSUED BY A NURSE PRACTITIONER, UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH AND SECTION  SIXTY-
S. 4611                             3
NINE  HUNDRED TEN OF THIS ARTICLE. THE NURSE PRACTITIONER SHALL OBTAIN A
CERTIFICATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT UPON SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING  A  PROGRAM
INCLUDING  AN  APPROPRIATE PHARMACOLOGY COMPONENT, OR ITS EQUIVALENT, AS
ESTABLISHED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER'S  REGULATIONS,  PRIOR TO PRESCRIBING
UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH; PROVIDED THAT ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED  PURSUANT  TO
SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL ALSO SATIS-
FY  THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH.  THE CERTIFICATE ISSUED UNDER
SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL STATE  WHETHER  THE
NURSE  PRACTITIONER  HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED SUCH A PROGRAM OR EQUIV-
ALENT AND IS AUTHORIZED TO PRESCRIBE UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH.
  (III) A NURSE PRACTITIONER, CERTIFIED UNDER SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED
TEN OF THIS ARTICLE AND PRACTICING FOR MORE THAN THIRTY-SIX  MONTHS  AND
THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED HOURS, SHALL HAVE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS
WITH  ONE  OR  MORE  LICENSED PHYSICIANS QUALIFIED TO COLLABORATE IN THE
SPECIALTY INVOLVED OR A HOSPITAL, LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, THAT PROVIDES SERVICES  THROUGH  LICENSED  PHYSI-
CIANS  QUALIFIED  TO  COLLABORATE  IN  THE SPECIALTY INVOLVED AND HAVING
PRIVILEGES AT SUCH INSTITUTION BUT SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A WRIT-
TEN PRACTICE AGREEMENT, PROVIDED  THAT  SUCH  NURSE  PRACTITIONER  SHALL
COMPLETE  AND  MAINTAIN  A  FORM, CREATED BY THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH NURSE
PRACTITIONER SHALL ATTEST TO, THAT SUMMARIZES  WRITTEN  PRACTICE  PROTO-
COLS, PROVIDES THE CRITERIA TO BE USED REGARDING CONSULTATION, INCLUDING
METHODS  AND FREQUENCY OF HOW CONSULTATION SHALL BE PROVIDED, COLLABORA-
TIVE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRAL, AND EMERGENCY REFERRAL PLANS,  TO  ADDRESS
THE  HEALTH  STATUS AND RISK OF PATIENTS. SUCH FORMS SHALL BE UPDATED AS
NEEDED AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE DEPARTMENT. THE NURSE PRACTI-
TIONER SHALL MAKE CURRENT INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS  FORM  AVAILABLE
TO  HIS  OR HER PATIENTS UPON REQUEST.  DOCUMENTATION OF SUCH COLLABORA-
TIVE RELATIONSHIPS SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY THE NURSE PRACTITIONER AND MAY
BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE DEPARTMENT.   FAILURE  TO  COMPLY  WITH  THE
REQUIREMENTS FOUND IN THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL BE SUBJECT TO PROFESSIONAL
MISCONDUCT PROVISIONS AS SET FORTH IN ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS
TITLE.
  (C)  Nothing  in this subdivision shall be deemed to limit or diminish
the practice of the profession of nursing as a  registered  professional
nurse  under  this article or any other law, rule, regulation or certif-
ication, nor to deny any registered professional nurse the right  to  do
any  act  or  engage  in  any practice authorized by this article or any
other law, rule, regulation or certification.
  [(g)] (D) The provisions of this subdivision shall not  apply  to  any
activity  authorized,  pursuant  to  statute,  rule or regulation, to be
performed by a registered professional nurse in a hospital as defined in
article twenty-eight of the public health law.
  (E) THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH,
SHALL ISSUE A REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
SECTION ALONG WITH INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: THE
NUMBER  OF  NURSE  PRACTITIONERS  PRACTICING  FOR  FEWER THAN THIRTY-SIX
MONTHS AND THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED HOURS THAT PRACTICE PURSUANT TO  A
COLLABORATIVE  AGREEMENT  WITH  A PHYSICIAN; THE NUMBER OF NURSE PRACTI-
TIONERS PRACTICING FOR FEWER THAN THIRTY-SIX MONTHS AND  THREE  THOUSAND
SIX  HUNDRED  HOURS  THAT PRACTICE PURSUANT TO A COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT
WITH A NURSE PRACTITIONER FOR SIX MONTHS AND THE NUMBER OF  THESE  NURSE
PRACTITIONERS  THAT  EXTEND  A COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL
SIX MONTHS UPON A SHOWING OF GOOD CAUSE SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL  OF  THE
DEPARTMENT;  THE  NUMBER OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS PRACTICING FOR MORE THAN
THIRTY-SIX MONTHS AND THREE THOUSAND SIX  HUNDRED  HOURS  THAT  PRACTICE
S. 4611                             4
PURSUANT  TO COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PHYSICIANS; OTHER INFORMA-
TION THE DEPARTMENT DEEMS RELEVANT, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  ANY
RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR THE CONTINUATION OR AMENDMENTS TO THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS  SECTION  RELATING  TO  COLLABORATIVE  AGREEMENTS  OR COLLABORATIVE
RELATIONSHIPS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT THIS REPORT TO  THE  GOVER-
NOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
AND THE CHAIRS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEES BY
SEPTEMBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law and shall expire June 30, 2019 when upon such
date  the  provisions  of  this  act shall be deemed repealed; provided,
however, that effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or
repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.