Amended in Assembly June 23, 2015

Amended in Senate April 22, 2015

Amended in Senate March 26, 2015

Senate BillNo. 323


Introduced by Senator Hernandez

(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Eggman)

begin insert

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Mark Stone)

end insert

February 23, 2015


An act tobegin insert amend Sections 650.01 and 805 of, toend insert amend and renumber Section 2837 of, and to add Section 2837 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 323, as amended, Hernandez. Nurse practitioners: scope of practice.

The Nursing Practice Act provides for the licensure and regulation of nurse practitioners by the Board of Registered Nursing. The act authorizes the implementation of standardized procedures that authorize a nurse practitioner to perform certain acts, including ordering durable medical equipment in accordance with standardized procedures, certifying disability for purposes of unemployment insurance after physical examination and collaboration with a physician and surgeon, and, for an individual receiving home health services or personal care services, approving, signing, modifying, or adding to a plan of treatment or plan of care after consultation with a physician and surgeon. A violation of those provisions is a crime.

This bill would authorize a nurse practitioner who holds a national certification from a national certifying body recognized by the board to practice without the supervision of a physician and surgeon, if the nurse practitioner meets existing requirements for nurse practitioners and practices in one of certain specified settings. The bill would authorize such a nurse practitioner, in addition to any other practice authorized in statute or regulation, to perform specified acts, including the acts described above, without reference to standardized procedures or the specific need for the supervision of a physician and surgeon. The bill, instead, would require a nurse practitioner to refer a patient to a physician and surgeon or other licensed health care provider if a situation or condition of the patient is beyond the scope of the nurse practitioner’s education and training. The bill would require a nurse practitioner practicing under these provisions to maintain professional liability insurance appropriate for the practice setting. By imposing new requirements on nurse practitioners, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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Existing law prohibits a licensee, as defined, from referring a person for laboratory, diagnostic, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, psychometric testing, home infusion therapy, or diagnostic imaging goods or services if the licensee or his or her immediate family has a financial interest with the person or entity that receives the referral, and makes a violation of that prohibition punishable as a misdemeanor. Under existing law, the Medical Board of California is required to review the facts and circumstances of any conviction for violating the prohibition, and to take appropriate disciplinary action if the licensee has committed unprofessional conduct.

end insert
begin insert

This bill would include a nurse practitioner, as specified, under the definition of a licensee, which would expand the scope of an existing crime and therefore impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require the Board of Registered Nursing to review the facts and circumstances of any conviction of a nurse practitioner, as specified, for violating that prohibition, and would require the board to take appropriate disciplinary action if the nurse practitioner has committed unprofessional conduct.

end insert
begin insert

Existing law provides for the professional review of specified healing arts licentiates through a peer review process. Existing law defines the term “licentiate” for those purposes to include, among others, a physician and surgeon.

end insert
begin insert

This bill would include a nurse practitioner, as specified, under the definition of licentiate, and would require the Board of Registered Nursing to disclose reports, as specified.

end insert

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P3    1

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) Nurse practitioners are a longstanding, vital, safe, effective,
4and important part of the state’s health care delivery system. They
5are especially important given California’s shortage of physicians,
6with just 16 of 58 counties having the federally recommended ratio
7of physicians to residents.

8(b) Nurse practitioners will play an especially important part in
9the implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable
10Care Act (Public Law 111-148), which will bring an estimated
11five million more Californians into the health care delivery system,
12 because they will provide for greater access to primary care
13services in all areas of the state. This is particularly true for patients
14in medically underserved urban and rural communities.

15(c) Due to the excellent safety and efficacy record that nurse
16practitioners have earned, the Institute of Medicine of the National
17Academies has recommended full practice authority for nurse
18practitioners. Currently, 20 states allow nurse practitioners to
19practice to the full extent of their training and education.

20(d) Furthermore, nurse practitioners will assist in addressing
21the primary care provider shortage by removing delays in the
22provision of care that are created when dated regulations require
23a physician’s signature or protocol before a patient can initiate
24treatment or obtain diagnostic tests that are ordered by a nurse
25 practitioner.

26begin insert

begin insertSEC. 2.end insert  

end insert

begin insertSection 650.01 of the end insertbegin insertBusiness and Professions Codeend insert
27begin insert is amended to read:end insert

P4    1

650.01.  

(a) Notwithstanding Section 650, or any other
2provision of law, it is unlawful for a licensee to refer a person for
3laboratory, diagnostic nuclear medicine, radiation oncology,
4physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, psychometric testing,
5home infusion therapy, or diagnostic imaging goods or services if
6the licensee or his or her immediate family has a financial interest
7with the person or in the entity that receives the referral.

8(b) For purposes of this section and Section 650.02, the
9following shall apply:

10(1) “Diagnostic imaging” includes, but is not limited to, all
11X-ray, computed axial tomography, magnetic resonance imaging
12nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography, mammography,
13and ultrasound goods and services.

14(2) A “financial interest” includes, but is not limited to, any
15type of ownership interest, debt, loan, lease, compensation,
16remuneration, discount, rebate, refund, dividend, distribution,
17subsidy, or other form of direct or indirect payment, whether in
18money or otherwise, between a licensee and a person or entity to
19whom the licensee refers a person for a good or service specified
20in subdivision (a). A financial interest also exists if there is an
21indirect financial relationship between a licensee and the referral
22recipient including, but not limited to, an arrangement whereby a
23licensee has an ownership interest in an entity that leases property
24to the referral recipient. Any financial interest transferred by a
25licensee to any person or entity or otherwise established in any
26person or entity for the purpose of avoiding the prohibition of this
27section shall be deemed a financial interest of the licensee. For
28purposes of this paragraph, “direct or indirect payment” shall not
29include a royalty or consulting fee received by a physician and
30surgeon who has completed a recognized residency training
31program in orthopedics from a manufacturer or distributor as a
32result of his or her research and development of medical devices
33and techniques for that manufacturer or distributor. For purposes
34of this paragraph, “consulting fees” means those fees paid by the
35manufacturer or distributor to a physician and surgeon who has
36completed a recognized residency training program in orthopedics
37only for his or her ongoing services in making refinements to his
38or her medical devices or techniques marketed or distributed by
39the manufacturer or distributor, if the manufacturer or distributor
40does not own or control the facility to which the physician is
P5    1referring the patient. A “financial interest” shall not include the
2receipt of capitation payments or other fixed amounts that are
3prepaid in exchange for a promise of a licensee to provide specified
4health care services to specified beneficiaries. A “financial interest”
5shall not include the receipt of remuneration by a medical director
6of a hospice, as defined in Section 1746 of the Health and Safety
7Code, for specified services if the arrangement is set out in writing,
8and specifies all services to be provided by the medical director,
9the term of the arrangement is for at least one year, and the
10compensation to be paid over the term of the arrangement is set
11in advance, does not exceed fair market value, and is not
12determined in a manner that takes into account the volume or value
13of any referrals or other business generated between parties.

14(3) For the purposes of this section, “immediate family” includes
15the spouse and children of the licensee, the parents of the licensee,
16and the spouses of the children of the licensee.

17(4) “Licensee” means a physician as defined in Section 3209.3
18of the Laborbegin delete Code.end deletebegin insert Code, and a nurse practitioner practicing
19pursuant to Section 2837.end insert

20(5) “Licensee’s office” means either of the following:

21(A) An office of a licensee in solo practice.

22(B) An office in which services or goods are personally provided
23by the licensee or by employees in that office, or personally by
24independent contractors in that office, in accordance with other
25provisions of law. Employees and independent contractors shall
26be licensed or certified when licensure or certification is required
27by law.

28(6) “Office of a group practice” means an office or offices in
29which two or more licensees are legally organized as a partnership,
30professional corporation, or not-for-profit corporation, licensed
31pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety
32Code, for which all of the following apply:

33(A) Each licensee who is a member of the group provides
34substantially the full range of services that the licensee routinely
35provides, including medical care, consultation, diagnosis, or
36treatment through the joint use of shared office space, facilities,
37equipment, and personnel.

38(B) Substantially all of the services of the licensees who are
39members of the group are provided through the group and are
40billed in the name of the group and amounts so received are treated
P6    1as receipts of the group, except in the case of a multispecialty
2clinic, as defined in subdivision (l) of Section 1206 of the Health
3and Safety Code, physician services are billed in the name of the
4multispecialty clinic and amounts so received are treated as receipts
5of the multispecialty clinic.

6(C) The overhead expenses of, and the income from, the practice
7are distributed in accordance with methods previously determined
8by members of the group.

9(c) It is unlawful for a licensee to enter into an arrangement or
10scheme, such as a cross-referral arrangement, that the licensee
11knows, or should know, has a principal purpose of ensuring
12referrals by the licensee to a particular entity that, if the licensee
13directly made referrals to that entity, would be in violation of this
14section.

15(d) No claim for payment shall be presented by an entity to any
16individual, third party payer, or other entity for a good or service
17furnished pursuant to a referral prohibited under this section.

18(e) No insurer, self-insurer, or other payer shall pay a charge or
19lien for any good or service resulting from a referral in violation
20of this section.

21(f) A licensee who refers a person to, or seeks consultation from,
22an organization in which the licensee has a financial interest, other
23than as prohibited by subdivision (a), shall disclose the financial
24interest to the patient, or the parent or legal guardian of the patient,
25in writing, at the time of the referral or request for consultation.

26(1) If a referral, billing, or other solicitation is between one or
27more licensees who contract with a multispecialty clinic pursuant
28to subdivision (l) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code
29or who conduct their practice as members of the same professional
30corporation or partnership, and the services are rendered on the
31same physical premises, or under the same professional corporation
32or partnership name, the requirements of this subdivision may be
33 met by posting a conspicuous disclosure statement at the
34registration area or by providing a patient with a written disclosure
35statement.

36(2) If a licensee is under contract with the Department of
37Corrections or the California Youth Authority, and the patient is
38an inmate or parolee of either respective department, the
39requirements of this subdivision shall be satisfied by disclosing
P7    1financial interests to either the Department of Corrections or the
2California Youth Authority.

3(g) A violation of subdivision (a) shall be a misdemeanor.begin delete Theend delete
4begin insert In the case of a licensee who is a physician, theend insert Medical Board of
5California shall review the facts and circumstances of any
6conviction pursuant to subdivision (a) and take appropriate
7disciplinary action if the licensee has committed unprofessional
8conduct.begin insert In the case of a licensee who is a nurse practitioner
9functioning pursuant to Section 2837, the Board of Registered
10Nursing shall review the facts and circumstances of any conviction
11pursuant to subdivision (a) and take appropriate disciplinary
12action if the licensee has committed unprofessional conduct.end insert

13 Violations of this section may also be subject to civil penalties of
14up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each offense, which may
15be enforced by the Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General,
16or a district attorney. A violation of subdivision (c), (d), or (e) is
17a public offense and is punishable upon conviction by a fine not
18exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for each violation
19and appropriate disciplinary action, including revocation of
20professional licensure, by the Medical Board ofbegin delete Californiaend delete
21begin insert California, the Board of Registered Nursing,end insert or other appropriate
22governmental agency.

23(h) This section shall not apply to referrals for services that are
24described in and covered by Sections 139.3 and 139.31 of the
25Labor Code.

26(i) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1995.

27begin insert

begin insertSEC. 3.end insert  

end insert

begin insertSection 805 of the end insertbegin insertBusiness and Professions Codeend insertbegin insert is
28amended to read:end insert

29

805.  

(a) As used in this section, the following terms have the
30following definitions:

31(1) (A) “Peer review” means both of the following:

32(i) A process in which a peer review body reviews the basic
33qualifications, staff privileges, employment, medical outcomes,
34or professional conduct of licentiates to make recommendations
35for quality improvement and education, if necessary, in order to
36do either or both of the following:

37(I) Determine whether a licentiate may practice or continue to
38practice in a health care facility, clinic, or other setting providing
39medical services, and, if so, to determine the parameters of that
40 practice.

P8    1(II) Assess and improve the quality of care rendered in a health
2care facility, clinic, or other setting providing medical services.

3(ii) Any other activities of a peer review body as specified in
4subparagraph (B).

5(B) “Peer review body” includes:

6(i) A medical or professional staff of any health care facility or
7clinic licensed under Division 2 (commencing with Section 1200)
8of the Health and Safety Code or of a facility certified to participate
9in the federal Medicare program as an ambulatory surgical center.

10(ii) A health care service plan licensed under Chapter 2.2
11(commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and
12Safety Code or a disability insurer that contracts with licentiates
13to provide services at alternative rates of payment pursuant to
14Section 10133 of the Insurance Code.

15(iii) Any medical, psychological, marriage and family therapy,
16social work, professional clinical counselor, dental, or podiatric
17professional society having as members at least 25 percent of the
18eligible licentiates in the area in which it functions (which must
19include at least one county), which is not organized for profit and
20which has been determined to be exempt from taxes pursuant to
21Section 23701 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

22(iv) A committee organized by any entity consisting of or
23employing more than 25 licentiates of the same class that functions
24for the purpose of reviewing the quality of professional care
25provided by members or employees of that entity.

26(2) “Licentiate” means a physician and surgeon, doctor of
27podiatric medicine, clinical psychologist, marriage and family
28therapist, clinical social worker, professional clinical counselor,
29dentist,begin delete orend delete physicianbegin delete assistant.end deletebegin insert assistant, or nurse practitioner
30practicing pursuant to Section 2837.end insert
“Licentiate” also includes a
31person authorized to practice medicine pursuant to Section 2113
32or 2168.

33(3) “Agency” means the relevant state licensing agency having
34regulatory jurisdiction over the licentiates listed in paragraph (2).

35(4) “Staff privileges” means any arrangement under which a
36licentiate is allowed to practice in or provide care for patients in
37a health facility. Those arrangements shall include, but are not
38limited to, full staff privileges, active staff privileges, limited staff
39privileges, auxiliary staff privileges, provisional staff privileges,
40temporary staff privileges, courtesy staff privileges, locum tenens
P9    1arrangements, and contractual arrangements to provide professional
2services, including, but not limited to, arrangements to provide
3outpatient services.

4(5) “Denial or termination of staff privileges, membership, or
5employment” includes failure or refusal to renew a contract or to
6renew, extend, or reestablish any staff privileges, if the action is
7based on medical disciplinary cause or reason.

8(6) “Medical disciplinary cause or reason” means that aspect
9of a licentiate’s competence or professional conduct that is
10reasonably likely to be detrimental to patient safety or to the
11delivery of patient care.

12(7) “805 report” means the written report required under
13subdivision (b).

14(b) The chief of staff of a medical or professional staff or other
15chief executive officer, medical director, or administrator of any
16peer review body and the chief executive officer or administrator
17of any licensed health care facility or clinic shall file an 805 report
18with the relevant agency within 15 days after the effective date on
19which any of the following occur as a result of an action of a peer
20review body:

21(1) A licentiate’s application for staff privileges or membership
22is denied or rejected for a medical disciplinary cause or reason.

23(2) A licentiate’s membership, staff privileges, or employment
24is terminated or revoked for a medical disciplinary cause or reason.

25(3) Restrictions are imposed, or voluntarily accepted, on staff
26privileges, membership, or employment for a cumulative total of
2730 days or more for any 12-month period, for a medical disciplinary
28cause or reason.

29(c) If a licentiate takes any action listed in paragraph (1), (2),
30or (3) after receiving notice of a pending investigation initiated
31for a medical disciplinary cause or reason or after receiving notice
32that his or her application for membership or staff privileges is
33denied or will be denied for a medical disciplinary cause or reason,
34the chief of staff of a medical or professional staff or other chief
35executive officer, medical director, or administrator of any peer
36review body and the chief executive officer or administrator of
37any licensed health care facility or clinic where the licentiate is
38employed or has staff privileges or membership or where the
39 licentiate applied for staff privileges or membership, or sought the
P10   1renewal thereof, shall file an 805 report with the relevant agency
2within 15 days after the licentiate takes the action.

3(1) Resigns or takes a leave of absence from membership, staff
4privileges, or employment.

5(2) Withdraws or abandons his or her application for staff
6privileges or membership.

7(3) Withdraws or abandons his or her request for renewal of
8staff privileges or membership.

9(d) For purposes of filing an 805 report, the signature of at least
10one of the individuals indicated in subdivision (b) or (c) on the
11completed form shall constitute compliance with the requirement
12to file the report.

13(e) An 805 report shall also be filed within 15 days following
14the imposition of summary suspension of staff privileges,
15membership, or employment, if the summary suspension remains
16in effect for a period in excess of 14 days.

17(f) A copy of the 805 report, and a notice advising the licentiate
18of his or her right to submit additional statements or other
19information, electronically or otherwise, pursuant to Section 800,
20shall be sent by the peer review body to the licentiate named in
21the report. The notice shall also advise the licentiate that
22information submitted electronically will be publicly disclosed to
23those who request the information.

24The information to be reported in an 805 report shall include the
25name and license number of the licentiate involved, a description
26of the facts and circumstances of the medical disciplinary cause
27or reason, and any other relevant information deemed appropriate
28by the reporter.

29A supplemental report shall also be made within 30 days
30following the date the licentiate is deemed to have satisfied any
31terms, conditions, or sanctions imposed as disciplinary action by
32the reporting peer review body. In performing its dissemination
33functions required by Section 805.5, the agency shall include a
34copy of a supplemental report, if any, whenever it furnishes a copy
35of the original 805 report.

36If another peer review body is required to file an 805 report, a
37health care service plan is not required to file a separate report
38with respect to action attributable to the same medical disciplinary
39cause or reason. If the Medical Board ofbegin delete Californiaend deletebegin insert California, the
40Board of Registered Nursing,end insert
or a licensing agency of another state
P11   1 revokes or suspends, without a stay, the license of a physician and
2surgeon, a peer review body is not required to file an 805 report
3when it takes an action as a result of the revocation or suspension.

4(g) The reporting required by this section shall not act as a
5waiver of confidentiality of medical records and committee reports.
6The information reported or disclosed shall be kept confidential
7except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 800 and Sections
8803.1 and 2027, provided that a copy of the report containing the
9information required by this section may be disclosed as required
10by Section 805.5 with respect to reports received on or after
11January 1, 1976.

12(h) The Medical Board of California, the Osteopathic Medical
13Board of California,begin insert the Board of Registered Nursing,end insert and the
14Dental Board of California shall disclose reports as required by
15Section 805.5.

16(i) An 805 report shall be maintained electronically by an agency
17for dissemination purposes for a period of three years after receipt.

18(j) No person shall incur any civil or criminal liability as the
19result of making any report required by this section.

20(k) A willful failure to file an 805 report by any person who is
21designated or otherwise required by law to file an 805 report is
22punishable by a fine not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars
23($100,000) per violation. The fine may be imposed in any civil or
24administrative action or proceeding brought by or on behalf of any
25agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the person regarding
26whom the report was or should have been filed. If the person who
27is designated or otherwise required to file an 805 report is a
28licensed physician and surgeon, the action or proceeding shall be
29brought by the Medical Board of California. The fine shall be paid
30to that agency but not expended until appropriated by the
31Legislature. A violation of this subdivision may constitute
32unprofessional conduct by the licentiate. A person who is alleged
33to have violated this subdivision may assert any defense available
34at law. As used in this subdivision, “willful” means a voluntary
35and intentional violation of a known legal duty.

36(l) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (k), any failure
37by the administrator of any peer review body, the chief executive
38officer or administrator of any health care facility, or any person
39who is designated or otherwise required by law to file an 805
40report, shall be punishable by a fine that under no circumstances
P12   1shall exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation. The
2fine may be imposed in any civil or administrative action or
3proceeding brought by or on behalf of any agency having
4regulatory jurisdiction over the person regarding whom the report
5was or should have been filed. If the person who is designated or
6otherwise required to file an 805 report is a licensed physician and
7surgeon, the action or proceeding shall be brought by the Medical
8Board of California. The fine shall be paid to that agency but not
9expended until appropriated by the Legislature. The amount of the
10fine imposed, not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per
11violation, shall be proportional to the severity of the failure to
12report and shall differ based upon written findings, including
13whether the failure to file caused harm to a patient or created a
14risk to patient safety; whether the administrator of any peer review
15body, the chief executive officer or administrator of any health
16care facility, or any person who is designated or otherwise required
17by law to file an 805 report exercised due diligence despite the
18failure to file or whether they knew or should have known that an
19805 report would not be filed; and whether there has been a prior
20failure to file an 805 report. The amount of the fine imposed may
21also differ based on whether a health care facility is a small or
22rural hospital as defined in Section 124840 of the Health and Safety
23Code.

24(m) A health care service plan licensed under Chapter 2.2
25(commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and
26Safety Code or a disability insurer that negotiates and enters into
27a contract with licentiates to provide services at alternative rates
28of payment pursuant to Section 10133 of the Insurance Code, when
29determining participation with the plan or insurer, shall evaluate,
30on a case-by-case basis, licentiates who are the subject of an 805
31report, and not automatically exclude or deselect these licentiates.

32

begin deleteSEC. 2.end delete
33begin insertSEC. 4.end insert  

Section 2837 of the Business and Professions Code is
34amended and renumbered to read:

35

2837.5.  

Nothing in this article shall be construed to limit the
36current scope of practice of a registered nurse authorized pursuant
37to this chapter.

38

begin deleteSEC. 3.end delete
39begin insertSEC. 5.end insert  

Section 2837 is added to the Business and Professions
40Code
, to read:

P13   1

2837.  

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a nurse practitioner
2who holds a national certification from a national certifying body
3recognized by the board may practice under this section without
4supervision of a physician and surgeon, if the nurse practitioner
5meets all the requirements of this article and practices in one of
6the following:

7(1) A clinic as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section
81200) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

9(2) A facility as described in Chapter 2 (commencing with
10Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

11(3) A facility as described in Chapter 2.5 (commencing with
12Section 1440) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

13(4) An accountable care organization, as defined in Section
143022 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
15(Public Law 111-148).

16(5) A group practice, including a professional medical
17corporation, another form of corporation controlled by physicians
18and surgeons, a medical partnership, a medical foundation exempt
19from licensure, or another lawfully organized group of physicians
20that delivers, furnishes, or otherwise arranges for or provides health
21care services.

22(6) A medical group, independent practice association, or any
23similar association.

24(b) Notwithstanding any other law, in addition to any other
25practice authorized in statute or regulation, a nurse practitioner
26who meets the qualifications of subdivision (a) may do any of the
27following without physician and surgeon supervision:

28(1) Order durable medical equipment. Notwithstanding that
29authority, this paragraph shall not operate to limit the ability of a
30third-party payer to require prior approval.

31(2) After performance of a physical examination by the nurse
32practitioner and collaboration, if necessary, with a physician and
33surgeon, certify disability pursuant to Section 2708 of the
34Unemployment Insurance Code.

35(3) For individuals receiving home health services or personal
36care services, after consultation, if necessary, with the treating
37physician and surgeon, approve, sign, modify, or add to a plan of
38treatment or plan of care.

39(4) Assess patients, synthesize and analyze data, and apply
40principles of health care.

P14   1(5) Manage the physical and psychosocial health status of
2patients.

3(6) Analyze multiple sources of data, identify a differential
4diagnosis, and select, implement, and evaluate appropriate
5treatment.

6(7) Establish a diagnosis by client history, physical examination,
7and other criteria, consistent with this section, for a plan of care.

8(8) Order, furnish, prescribe, or procure drugs or devices.

9(9) Delegate tasks to a medical assistant pursuant tobegin delete standardized
10procedures and protocols, developed by the nurse practitioner and
11medical assistant, that are within the medical assistant’s scope of
12practice.end delete
begin insert Sections 1206.5, 2069, 2070, and 2071, and Article 2 of
13Chapter 3 of Division 13 of Title 16 of the California Code of
14Regulations.end insert

15(10) Order hospice care, as appropriate.

16(11) Orderbegin delete and interpretend delete diagnosticbegin delete procedures.end deletebegin insert procedures and
17utilize the findings or results in treating the patient.end insert

18(12) Perform additional acts that require education and training
19and that are recognized by the nursing profession as appropriate
20to be performed by a nurse practitioner.

21(c) A nurse practitioner shall refer a patient to a physician and
22surgeon or other licensed health care provider if a situation or
23condition of the patient is beyond the scope of the education and
24training of the nurse practitioner.

25(d) A nurse practitioner practicing under this section shall
26maintain professional liability insurance appropriate for the practice
27setting.

28

begin deleteSEC. 4.end delete
29begin insertSEC. 6.end insert  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
30Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
31the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
32district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
33infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
34for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
35the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
36the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
37Constitution.



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