§457-8.5  Advanced practice registered
nurse; qualifications; recognition; endorsement; fees; eligibility.  (a)  Effective
October 1, 2009, the board shall grant recognition as an advanced practice
registered nurse to a nurse who has:



(1)  A current, unencumbered license as a registered
nurse in this State;



(2)  An unencumbered license as a registered nurse in
all other states in which the nurse has a current and active license;



(3)  An unencumbered recognition as an advanced
practice registered nurse or similar designation in all other states in which
the nurse has a current and active recognition as an advanced practice
registered nurse;



(4)  Completed an accredited graduate-level education
program leading to a master's degree as a certified registered nurse
anesthetist, a nurse midwife, a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse
practitioner;



(5)  A current, unencumbered certification of having
passed a national certification examination that measures role and
population-focused competencies and is recognized by the board;



(6)  Maintained continued competencies through
recertification in role and population-focused competencies through a national
certification program recognized by the board;



(7)  Acquired advanced clinical knowledge and skills
preparing the nurse to provide direct care to patients through a significant
educational and practical concentration on the direct care of patients;



(8)  Demonstrated a greater breadth of knowledge, a
greater synthesis of data, greater complexity of skills and interventions, and
greater role autonomy than demonstrated by a registered nurse;



(9)  Been educationally prepared to assume
responsibility and accountability for health promotion and maintenance and to
assess, diagnose, and manage patient problems through the use and prescription
of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions;



(10)  Acquired clinical experience of sufficient depth
and breadth to reflect the intended license; and



(11)  Paid the appropriate fees.



(b)  Any person recognized as an advanced practice
registered nurse prior to October 1, 2009, whose recognition was granted based
on a master's degree in nursing or a current certification for specialized and
advanced nursing practice from a national certifying body recognized by the
board shall be eligible to renew that recognition; provided that all nurse
licenses, recognitions, and prescriptive authorities or similar designations
held by the person in any jurisdiction are unencumbered.



(c)  Any person applying for advanced practice
registered nurse recognition by endorsement shall be granted recognition as an
advanced practice registered nurse; provided that:



(1)  The person applying is licensed as a registered
nurse in this State; and



(2)  All nurse licenses, recognitions, and
prescriptive authorities or similar designations held by the person under the
laws of this State, another state, or a United States territory are
unencumbered, and the originating state's requirements were equal to or greater
than the board's advanced practice registered nurse requirements which were in
effect prior to October 1, 2009.



An advanced
practice registered nurse shall be eligible to renew the recognition granted
under this subsection; provided that all nurse licenses, recognitions, and
prescriptive authorities or similar designations held by the person in this State,
another state, or a United States territory are unencumbered.



(d)  Only a person who has a current,
unencumbered recognition from the board to practice as an advanced practice
registered nurse shall use the title "Advanced Practice Registered
Nurse" and the abbreviation "A.P.R.N.".  No other person shall
assume the title "nurse" or in any manner imply
that the person is a nurse except as defined in section 457-2 or as provided in
sections 457-7 and 457-8 or use the abbreviation "A.P.R.N." or any
other words, letter, sign, or device to indicate that the person using the same
is an advanced practice registered nurse.  Nothing in this section shall
preclude a registered nurse who is not recognized by the board as an advanced
practice registered nurse and who is currently certified by a national
certifying body recognized by the board from using another title designated by
certification. [L 1994, c 277, §1; am L 1995, c 88, §4; am L 1996, c 150, §4;
am L 1998, c 279, §2; am L 2000, c 8, §1; am L 2004, c 88, §4; am L 2009, c
169, §9]