Bill Text: NY S00769 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Defines the practice of certified registered nurse anesthetist; requires collaboration with a licensed physician qualified to determine the need for anesthesia services; requires licensing; defines qualifications.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-3)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-22 - PRINT NUMBER 769B [S00769 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S00769-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         769--B

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     January 6, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sens. COONEY, ADDABBO, BAILEY, FERNANDEZ, GALLIVAN, GONZA-
          LEZ, HARCKHAM, HELMING, HINCHEY, PALUMBO, PARKER, RAMOS, RIVERA, SALA-
          ZAR,  SANDERS,  SKOUFIS,  WEBB  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
          when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher  Education  --
          committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
          recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on High-
          er Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6,  sec.  8  --  committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee

        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to creating the profes-
          sion of nurse anesthetist

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 139-A
     2  to read as follows:
     3                                ARTICLE 139-A
     4                   CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST
     5  Section 6920. Introduction.
     6          6921. Definition  of  practice  of  certified  registered  nurse
     7                  anesthetist.
     8          6922. Practice of certified registered nurse anesthetist and use
     9                  of the title "certified registered nurse anesthetist" or
    10                  "nurse anesthetist".
    11          6923. State board for nursing.
    12          6924. Requirements for a license as a certified registered nurse
    13                  anesthetist.
    14          6925. Limited permits.
    15          6926. Exempt persons.
    16          6927. Special provisions.
    17    § 6920. Introduction. This article applies to the profession of certi-
    18  fied  registered  nurse  anesthetist.  The  general  provisions  for all

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02498-05-4

        S. 769--B                           2

     1  professions contained in article one hundred thirty of this title  apply
     2  to this article.
     3    §  6921. Definition of practice of certified registered nurse anesthe-
     4  tist. 1. In addition  to  the  provisions  of  practice  for  registered
     5  professional  nursing outlined in section sixty-nine hundred two of this
     6  title, the practice of a certified registered nurse anesthetist  further
     7  includes,  but  is  not  limited  to,  administration  of anesthesia and
     8  sedation to  a  patient;  performing  and  documenting  a  preanesthetic
     9  assessment and evaluation of the patient, including requesting consulta-
    10  tions and diagnostic studies; selecting, obtaining, ordering, and admin-
    11  istering   preanesthetic  medications  and  fluids;  obtaining  informed
    12  consent for anesthesia, developing and implementing an anesthetic  plan;
    13  initiating  the  anesthetic  technique; monitoring the patient including
    14  selecting, applying, and inserting appropriate noninvasive and  invasive
    15  monitoring  modalities  for continuous evaluation of the patient's phys-
    16  ical status; selecting, obtaining, and  administering  the  anesthetics,
    17  adjuvant and accessory drugs, and fluids necessary to manage anesthetics
    18  and acute and chronic pain; ordering and evaluating laboratory and diag-
    19  nostic tests and performing point-of-care testing; ordering and evaluat-
    20  ing  radiographic  imaging  studies;  managing  a  patient's  airway and
    21  cardiopulmonary status using current practice  modalities;  facilitating
    22  emergence and recovery from anesthesia by selecting, obtaining, ordering
    23  and   administering   medications,   fluids,  and  ventilatory  support;
    24  discharging the patient from a postanesthesia care  area  and  providing
    25  postanesthesia  follow-up  evaluation  and  care; implementing acute and
    26  chronic pain management modalities; responding to  emergency  situations
    27  by  providing  airway management, administration of emergency fluids and
    28  drugs, and using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques;  and
    29  prescribe tests, drugs and other treatments necessary to anesthesia care
    30  provided by a nurse anesthetist.
    31    2.  (a)  A  certified registered nurse anesthetist licensed under this
    32  article and practicing for thirty-six hundred hours or less shall do  so
    33  either  under  the  direction  of:   (i) a physician who has completed a
    34  residency program in anesthesiology that is accredited by an accrediting
    35  organization acceptable to the department; (ii) a physician who is board
    36  certified in anesthesiology by a certifying organization  acceptable  to
    37  the  department;  (iii)  a physician who has medical staff privileges to
    38  provide anesthesia services (deep sedation, general and  regional  anes-
    39  thesia  assessments/administration)  in a general hospital or ambulatory
    40  surgery center authorized by article twenty-eight of the  public  health
    41  law;  or  (iv)  a  dentist or podiatrist qualified to provide anesthesia
    42  services as determined by the department on their cases. For purposes of
    43  this section, direction shall mean patient  care  guidance  and  advice,
    44  coordination and communication from the physician, dentist or podiatrist
    45  to  the  certified registered nurse anesthetist practicing for less than
    46  thirty-six hundred hours, as needed for the care of the patient.
    47    (b) After practicing for more than thirty-six hundred hours, a  certi-
    48  fied  registered  nurse  anesthetist shall function in an interdependent
    49  role as a member of a patient-centered care team.
    50    3. Prescriptions for drugs, devices, and anesthetic agents, anesthesia
    51  related agents, and analgesics may be issued by a  certified  registered
    52  nurse  anesthetist  necessary  to  anesthesia  care  provided by a nurse
    53  anesthetist.  The certified registered nurse anesthetist shall obtain  a
    54  certificate  from  the department upon successfully completing a program
    55  including an appropriate pharmacology component, or its  equivalent,  as
    56  established  by  the  commissioner's  regulations,  prior to prescribing

        S. 769--B                           3

     1  under this subdivision. The license  issued  under  this  article  shall
     2  state whether the certified registered nurse anesthetist has successful-
     3  ly completed such a program or equivalent and is authorized to prescribe
     4  under this subdivision.
     5    4.  Nothing  in  this section shall be deemed to limit or diminish the
     6  practice of the profession of nursing as a registered professional nurse
     7  under article one hundred thirty-nine of this title or  any  other  law,
     8  rule,  regulation  or  certification, nor to deny any registered profes-
     9  sional nurse the right to do any act or engage in any  practice  author-
    10  ized  by article one hundred thirty-nine of this title or any other law,
    11  rule, regulation or certification.
    12    § 6922. Practice of certified registered nurse anesthetist and use  of
    13  the  title  "certified  registered nurse anesthetist" or "nurse anesthe-
    14  tist". Only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this article
    15  shall practice as a certified  registered  nurse  anesthetist  or  nurse
    16  anesthetist,  provided that any person who was practicing as a certified
    17  registered nurse anesthetist in the state before the effective  date  of
    18  this  article shall have the right to continue using the title.  Contin-
    19  ued use of such title after that shall be  dependent  upon  such  person
    20  applying  for and obtaining a license from the department as a certified
    21  registered nurse anesthetist  pursuant  to  section  sixty-nine  hundred
    22  twenty-seven  of this article within three years from the effective date
    23  of this article.
    24    § 6923. State board for nursing. The state board for nursing as estab-
    25  lished in section sixty-nine hundred four of this  title  shall  be  the
    26  governing state board for certified registered nurse anesthetists.
    27    §  6924.  Requirements  for  a license as a certified registered nurse
    28  anesthetist. To qualify for a license as a  certified  registered  nurse
    29  anesthetist, an applicant shall fulfill the following requirements:
    30    1. Application: file an application with the department;
    31    2.  License:  be New York state licensed and currently registered as a
    32  registered professional nurse;
    33    3. Education: have received a master's degree or higher in  a  program
    34  of  nurse  anesthesia  from  a  program  registered by the department or
    35  determined by the department to be substantially equivalent or meet  the
    36  requirements of section sixty-nine hundred twenty-seven of this article;
    37    4.  Examination:  pass an examination satisfactory to the board and in
    38  accordance with the commissioner's regulations;
    39    5. Character: be of good moral character as determined by the  depart-
    40  ment;
    41    6.  Fees: pay a fee of one hundred fifty dollars to the department for
    42  an initial license and a fee of fifty dollars for each triennial  regis-
    43  tration period; and
    44    7.  Information and documentation: in conjunction with and as a condi-
    45  tion of each triennial registration a certified registered nurse anesth-
    46  etist shall provide to the department, and the department shall collect,
    47  such information  and  documentation  required  by  the  department,  in
    48  consultation  with  the  department of health, as is necessary to enable
    49  the department of health to evaluate access to needed services  in  this
    50  state,  including,  but not limited to, the location and type of setting
    51  wherein the certified registered nurse anesthetist practices  and  other
    52  information  the  department,  in  consultation  with  the department of
    53  health, deems relevant. The department of health, in  consultation  with
    54  the  department, shall make such data available in aggregate, de-identi-
    55  fied form on a publicly accessible website.   Additionally, in  conjunc-
    56  tion  with  each triennial registration, the department, in consultation

        S. 769--B                           4

     1  with the department of health, shall provide information on  registering
     2  in the donate life registry for organ and tissue donation, including the
     3  website address for such registry.
     4    § 6925. Limited permits. 1.  The department may issue a limited permit
     5  to  an  applicant  who  is  New  York state licensed and registered as a
     6  registered nurse and meets all qualifications for licensure, except  the
     7  examination  and/or  experience  requirements, or to an applicant who is
     8  gaining experience for the  diagnostic  privilege,  in  accordance  with
     9  regulations promulgated therefor.
    10    2. Limited permits shall be for two years.
    11    3.  A  limited anesthetist permit shall entitle the holder to practice
    12  as a nurse  anesthetist  only  in  a  health  care  facility  under  the
    13  personal, on-premise supervision of a certified registered nurse anesth-
    14  etist  with more than thirty-six hundred hours of practice experience or
    15  physician who: (a) has completed a residency program  in  anesthesiology
    16  that  is  accredited  by  an  accrediting organization acceptable to the
    17  department; or (b) is board certified in anesthesiology by a  certifying
    18  organization  acceptable  to  the  department;  or (c) has medical staff
    19  privileges to provide anesthesia services at the  health  care  facility
    20  and with the endorsement of the health care facility.
    21    4. Fees. The fee for each limited permit shall be thirty-five dollars.
    22    § 6926. Exempt persons. This article shall not be construed:
    23    1.  as  applying to any activity authorized, pursuant to statute, rule
    24  or regulation, to be performed by a registered professional nurse  in  a
    25  hospital as defined in article twenty-eight of the public health law;
    26    2.  as  prohibiting  the  furnishing of nurse anesthesia assistance in
    27  case of an emergency;
    28    3. as prohibiting such performance  of  nurse  anesthesia  service  by
    29  students  enrolled in department registered nurse anesthesia programs or
    30  students enrolled in other nurse anesthesia programs that are authorized
    31  pursuant to section two hundred twenty-four of  this  chapter  to  place
    32  such  students  in  clinical  rotations  in this state under appropriate
    33  supervision; or
    34    4. as prohibiting or preventing the practice of  nurse  anesthesia  in
    35  this  state,  in obedience to the requirements of the laws of the United
    36  States, by any commissioned nurse anesthetist officer in the armed forc-
    37  es of the United States or by any  nurse  anesthetist  employed  in  the
    38  United  States  veterans  administration  or United States public health
    39  service while engaged in the performance of the actual duties prescribed
    40  for such nurse anesthetist under the United  States  statutes,  provided
    41  such  person  does  not  represent or hold themselves out as a certified
    42  registered nurse anesthetist registered to practice in this state.
    43    § 6927. Special provisions.   It shall be  lawful  for  an  individual
    44  practicing  as a certified registered nurse anesthetist in this state as
    45  of the effective date of this section that does not meet the educational
    46  requirements, but meets the other  requirements  of  section  sixty-nine
    47  hundred  twenty-four of this article, to continue such practice provided
    48  that such certified registered nurse anesthetist:
    49    1. submits evidence of certification as a certified  registered  nurse
    50  anesthetist  by  an  appropriate national certifying body to the depart-
    51  ment;
    52    2.  has  continually  maintained  active,  up-to-date  recertification
    53  status  as  a  certified  registered nurse anesthetist by an appropriate
    54  national recertifying body; and
    55    3. has submitted an application for licensure.

        S. 769--B                           5

     1    § 2. Section 6903 of the education law, as amended by chapter  323  of
     2  the laws of 2006, is amended to read  as follows:
     3    § 6903. Practice  of nursing and use of title "registered professional
     4  nurse" or "licensed practical nurse". Only a person licensed  or  other-
     5  wise  authorized  under  this  article shall practice nursing and only a
     6  person licensed under section sixty-nine hundred five  of  this  article
     7  shall  use  the  title "registered professional nurse" and only a person
     8  licensed under section sixty-nine hundred six of this article shall  use
     9  the  title  "licensed  practical  nurse".  No person shall use the title
    10  "nurse" or any other title or abbreviation that would represent  to  the
    11  public  that  the  person  is  authorized to practice nursing unless the
    12  person is licensed or otherwise authorized under this article or article
    13  one hundred thirty-nine-A of this title.
    14    § 3. Section 6904 of the education law, as amended by chapter  994  of
    15  the laws of 1971 and as renumbered by chapter 50 of the laws of 1972, is
    16  amended to read as follows:
    17    § 6904. State  board  for nursing.  A state board for nursing shall be
    18  appointed by the board of regents on recommendation of the  commissioner
    19  for  the purpose of assisting the board of regents and the department on
    20  matters of professional licensing and professional conduct in accordance
    21  with section sixty-five hundred eight of this title.  The board shall be
    22  composed of not less than [fifteen] seventeen members,  eleven  of  whom
    23  shall  be  registered  professional  nurses  and  four  of whom shall be
    24  licensed practical nurses and two of whom shall be certified  registered
    25  nurse  anesthetists  all  licensed  and  practicing in this state for at
    26  least five years.    An  executive  secretary  to  the  board  shall  be
    27  appointed  by the board of regents on recommendation of the commissioner
    28  and shall be a registered professional nurse registered in this state.
    29    § 4. This act shall take effect eighteen months after  it  shall  have
    30  become a law.
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