Missouri Senate

Introduced

This act defines the practice of advanced practice nursing, including the authority to prescribe and dispense controlled substances in schedules III, IV, and V, and Schedule II - hydrocodone with a certificate of controlled substance prescriptive authority as part of a collaborative practice arrangement.

Under this act, any applicant for licensure to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is required to submit a completed application and fee established by the State Board of Nursing. Such fee shall be uniform for all applicants.

An applicant is required to hold a current registered professional nurse license and shall not hold a license currently under discipline or under any restrictions as a registered professional nurse or APRN in any state or territory. Such applicant must also have completed an accredited graduate or postgraduate level APRN program and be currently certified by a national certifying body recognized by the Board.

Any person holding a document of recognition to practice nursing as an APRN that is current on August 28, 2019, shall be deemed to be licensed as an APRN under this act and shall be eligible for renewal of such license.

In considering applications for licensure, the Board may require a personal appearance of the applicant. If the applicant is required to appear, the time period in which a licensure application shall be granted or denied shall be tolled until such time as the applicant appears and the Board issues its determination in writing. If the applicant fails to appear at either of the next two regularly scheduled Board meetings, the application for licensure shall be denied. Upon the Board's refusal to issue an APRN license, the Board shall advise the applicant of his or her right to have a hearing before the Administrative Hearing Commission.

The Board may issue a license by endorsement to an APRN licensed in another state if the applicant meets the qualifications for licensure in Missouri.

A licensee's APRN license and his or her professional nursing license shall be treated as one license for the purpose of renewal and assessment of renewal fees. In order to renew a license, the APRN must maintain certification in the appropriate role through an ongoing certification maintenance program of a nationally recognized certifying body recognized by the Board.

Under current law, any person who holds a license to practice advanced practice nursing in the state may use the title "advanced practice registered nurse". Under this act, such person may use the designations of "certified registered nurse anesthetist", "certified nurse midwife", "certified clinical nurse specialist", and "certified nurse practitioner".

This act is similar to HB 301 (2019) and HB 1502 (2018).

JOSIE BUTLER