Vermont H 569: An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital care

Bill Text

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VT LEG #385546 v.1
H.569 1
Introduced by Representative Goldman of Rockingham 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Health; hospitals; advanced practice registered nurses 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to amend 6
statutes relating to hospital licensure and to hospital patients’ rights to specify 7
that an advanced practice registered nurse may be the health care professional 8
responsible for a hospital patient’s care. 9
An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital 10
care 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. § 1851 is amended to read: 13
§ 1851. DEFINITIONS 14
As used in this subchapter: 15
(1) “Advanced practice registered nurse” or “APRN” means an 16
individual licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 28, subchapter 2. 17
(2) “Hospital” means a hospital required to be licensed under chapter 43 18
of this title. 19

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(2)(3) “Patient” means a person an individual admitted to a hospital on 1
an inpatient basis. 2
(4) “Physician” means an individual licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 3
23 or 33. 4
Sec. 2. 18 V.S.A. § 1852 is amended to read: 5
§ 1852. PATIENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTS; ADOPTION 6
(a) The General Assembly hereby adopts the “Bill of Rights for Hospital 7
Patients” as follows: 8
(1) The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care at all 9
times and under all circumstances with recognition of his or her the patient’s 10
personal dignity. 11
(2) The patient shall have an attending physician or APRN who is 12
responsible for coordinating a the patient’s care. Physician consultation and 13
support shall be available to an attending APRN at all times in accordance with 14
applicable standards of practice and regulatory requirements. 15
(3) The patient has the right to obtain, from the physician or APRN 16
coordinating his or her the patient’s care, complete and current information 17
concerning diagnosis, treatment, and any known prognosis in terms the patient 18
can reasonably be expected to understand. If the patient consents or if the 19
patient is incompetent or unable to understand, immediate family members or a 20
guardian may also obtain this information. The patient has the right to know 21

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by name the attending physician or APRN primarily responsible for 1
coordinating his or her the patient’s care. 2
(4) Except in emergencies, the patient has the right to receive from the 3
patient’s physician or APRN information necessary to give informed consent 4
prior to the start of any procedure or treatment, or both. Such information for 5
informed consent should include the specific procedure or treatment, or both; 6
the medically significant risks involved; and the probable duration of 7
incapacitation. Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment 8
exist, or when the patient requests information concerning medical alternatives, 9
the patient has the right to such information. The patient also has the right to 10
know the name of the person responsible for the procedures or treatment, or 11
both. 12
* * * 13
(7) The patient has the right to expect that all communications and 14
records pertaining to his or her the patient’s care shall be treated as 15
confidential. Only medical personnel, or individuals under the supervision of 16
medical personnel, directly treating the patient, or those persons monitoring the 17
quality of that treatment, or researching the effectiveness of that treatment, 18
shall have access to the patient’s medical records. Others may have access to 19
those records only with the patient’s written authorization. 20
* * * 21

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(9) The patient has the right to know the identity and professional status 1
of individuals providing service to him or her the patient and to know which 2
physician, APRN, or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his or her 3
the patient’s care. This includes the patient’s right to know of the existence of 4
any professional relationship among individuals who are treating him or her 5
the patient, as well as the relationship to any other health care or educational 6
institutions involved in his or her the patient’s care. 7
* * * 8
(11) The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity of care. 9
The patient has the right to be informed by the attending physician or APRN of 10
any continuing health care requirements following discharge. 11
* * * 12
(13) The patient has the right to know what hospital rules and 13
regulations apply to his or her the patient’s conduct as a patient. 14
* * * 15
(b) Failure to comply with any provision of this section may constitute a 16
basis for disciplinary action against a physician under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 17
33 or against an APRN