09 LC 33
3162S
House
Bill 475 (RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By:
Representatives Cooper of the
41st,
Harbin of the
118th,
Lindsey of the
54th,
Houston of the
170th,
Wilkinson of the
52nd,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 1 of Chapter 26 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the "Georgia Registered Professional Nurse Practice Act,"
so as to revise certain provisions relating to requirements for registered
professional nurses in nontraditional nursing education programs; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
1 of Chapter 26 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the "Georgia Registered Professional Nurse Practice Act," is amended by
revising Code Section 43-26-7, relating to requirements for licensure as a
registered professional nurse, as follows:
"43-26-7.
(a)
Any applicant who meets the requirements of this Code section shall be eligible
for licensure as a registered professional nurse.
(b)
An applicant for licensure by examination shall:
(1)
Submit a completed written application and fee;
(2)
Have graduated from a nursing education program approved by the board or which
meets criteria similar to, and not less stringent than, those established by the
board. For
purposes of this paragraph, a nontraditional nursing education program
that:
(A)
Provides concurrent instruction in theory along with clinical teaching and
clinical practice for its program participants;
(B)
Requires that program participants complete a minimum of 350 hours of clinical
practice if the applicant entered the nontraditional nursing education program
as a licensed practical nurse or 700 hours of clinical practice for any other
applicants;
(C)
Arranges the participant's clinical practice in such settings and with such
supervision as approved by the board; and
(D)
Only accepts licensed practical nurses licensed in states with requirements for
such licensure equivalent to or greater than Georgia requirements into the
program
shall
be deemed to meet criteria similar to, and not less stringent than, those
established by the board. For purposes of this paragraph, the term
'nontraditional nursing education program' means a program which provides
instruction in theory primarily by self-study, including online courses, and the
term 'clinical practice' means face-to-face supervised clinical instruction with
actual patients in a variety of patient settings, including, but not limited to,
pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, medical-surgical, emergency, and mental
illness. Students who, before July 1, 2008, entered a nontraditional nursing
education program which does not meet the requirements of this paragraph and
complete such program no later than December 31, 2010, shall be deemed to meet
the criteria of this paragraph. A nontraditional nursing education program
which does not meet the requirements of this paragraph and which solicits
students in Georgia shall provide notice to its students in its applications and
letters of acceptance that such program may be amended to include a requirement
to complete clinical teaching and clinical practice to comply with Georgia law
for students graduating after December 31, 2010;
(3)
Pass a board recognized licensing examination; provided, however, that such
examination may not be taken prior to graduation from the nursing education
program;
(4)
Have satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted by
the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as
determined by the board. Application for a license under this Code section
shall constitute express consent and authorization for the board or its
representative to perform a criminal background check. Each applicant who
submits an application to the board for licensure by examination agrees to
provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal
background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of
fingerprints. The applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with
the performance of such background check; and
(5)
Meet such other criteria as established by the board.
(c)
An applicant for licensure by endorsement shall:
(1)
Submit a completed written application and fee;
(2)
Have passed a board recognized licensing examination following graduation from a
nursing education
program,
including a nontraditional program,
approved by the board or which meets criteria similar to, and not less stringent
than, those established by the board;
(3)
Submit verification of initial and current licensure in any other licensing
jurisdiction administering a board recognized licensing
examination;
(4)(A)
Have practiced nursing as a registered professional nurse for a period of time
as determined by the board or have graduated from a nursing education program
within the four years immediately preceding the date of the
application;
(B)
If graduated from a nontraditional nursing education program, have practiced
nursing as a registered professional nurse in a clinical setting for at least
one year preceding the date of the application and such practice is documented
by the applicant and approved by the board; or
(C)
If graduated from a nontraditional nursing education program, have practiced
nursing as a registered professional nurse in a clinical setting for less than
one year preceding the date of the application and such practice is documented
by the applicant and approved by the board, such applicant shall be authorized
and required to complete 300 clinical nursing hours to meet the requirements of
this paragraph;
For
purposes of this paragraph, the term 'nontraditional nursing education program'
means a program which provides instruction in theory primarily by self-study,
including online courses, and the term 'clinical practice' means face-to-face
supervised clinical instruction with actual patients in a variety of patient
settings, including, but not limited to, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology,
medical-surgical, emergency, and mental illness.
(5)
Have satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted by
the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as
determined by the board. Application for a license under this Code section
shall constitute express consent and authorization for the board or its
representative to perform a criminal background check. Each applicant who
submits an application to the board for licensure by examination agrees to
provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal
background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of
fingerprints. The applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with
the performance of such background check; and
(6)
Meet such other criteria as established by the board.
(d)
An applicant for reinstatement who has previously held a valid license in
Georgia shall:
(1)
Submit a completed written application and fee;
(2)
Have practiced nursing as a registered professional nurse for a period of time
as determined by the board or have graduated from a nursing education program
approved by the board or which meets criteria similar to, and not less stringent
than, those established by the board within the four years immediately preceding
the date of the application;
(3)
Have satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted by
the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as
determined by the board. Application for a license under this Code section
shall constitute express consent and authorization for the board or its
representative to perform a criminal background check. Each applicant who
submits an application to the board for licensure by examination agrees to
provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal
background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of
fingerprints. The applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with
the performance of such background check; and
(4)
Meet such other criteria as established by the board."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.