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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Continuing Nursing Education Type I and Type II Distinction is EliminatedType II continuing education is no longer acceptable as of September 1, 2007. The Nursing Practice Act (216.1-216.7) was changed with the passage of SB 993. This bill deleted the portion of the Nursing Practice Act section that required the Board of Nursing to allow Type II CE. The rule amendments allow for only Type I CE courses. Now one just has to focus on what is acceptable CE. Section 22 TAC 216.4 – Criteria for Acceptable Continuing Education Activity – of the Nursing Practice Act states: ‘Continuing Education programs must be approved by a credentialing agency or an affiliated entity of one of these agencies. Proof of successful completion shall contain the name of the provider, the program title, date, and location; number of contact hours; provider number; and credentialing agency’ A few of the Board approved credentialing agencies include American Nurses Credentialing Center, American Academy of Nurse practitioners, Licensed Vocational Nurses Association of Texas, and Continuing Medical Education (for APNs only) For the complete list visit the BON web site. 216.5 of the Nursing Practice Act speaks to academic courses See the Act for specifics Texas Nursing Voice, Vol. 2, No. 1, Jan-Feb-Mar, 2008. Submitted by L. McCullough, RN
The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act was introduced in the US House late in 2007. If enacted, the law would require hospitals to consult with their nurses to develop and implement a staffing policy that would ensure an appropriate number of RNs on each shift, in each unit of the hospital.
Be Responsible Even on Vacation Situation, the nurse was on vacation, and while driving was pulled over for DUI. Her nursing board has called her in to answer allegations of substance abuse. The question was, does the nursing board have jurisdiction in this case? The answer is, YES. “Because you’re a licensed nursing professional, the board has the statutory obligation to ensure the public’s safety in the state where you practice. An arrest for any action involving a mind-altering substance – drugs or alcohol – is enough for the board to be concerned that you are addicted. The burden is on you to prove that you’re not, or, if you are, that you’ve entered a recovery program. That you weren’t working at the time of your arrest doesn’t matter – the board’s concern is that you might show up for work under the influence. Knowing that your nursing board will assume the worst in such cases is yet another reason not to drink or take drugs and drive.” Opinion by Taralynn Mackay, RN, JD
The AORN Grassroots Advocacy Handbook is available online. This was formerly ‘A Lobbying primer’. www.aorn.org/PublicPolicy/AORNAdvocacy/LobbyingTools/GrassrootsAdvocacyHandbook.
Interested in Attending Nurse in Washington? Nurse in Washington DC will be March 9-11, 2008, (tentative). Scholarship applications are being accepted from members. Legislative Principles The Legislative Principles that were approved at the 2007 AORN Congress now have some proposed changes to be voted on at the 2008 AORN Congress in Anaheim. Chapter delegates and alternates become familiar with the Principles and the proposed changes. Go to www.aorn.org/AORNNews/PrinciplesUpdate/. Connect on the links in the news article.
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
The Tennessee Nurses Association reissued a resolution supporting the role of the RN Circulator. Maine: SB1211 which was drafted in January 2007 went before
the Joint Committee on
Do you want to monitor Texas Legislative Session? Then go to: State’s legislative Web site: www.capitol.state.tx.us House of Representatives Web site: www.house.state.tx.us Senate Web site: www.senate.state.tx.us Texas official Web site: www.state.tx.us
The BNE Rule for RNFA's The Texas Board of Nurse Examiners' Rule for Registered Nurse First Assistants has been published in the Texas Register. To review it go to: http://lamb.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/index.html. The Rule number did not change so it is 217.18 which is the published proposed Rule number. The Rule goes into effect March 13, 2003.
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