Mississippi SB 2008: Nurse practitioners; authorize to dispense legend drugs to patients.

Bill Text

SB2008 (As Introduced) - 2021 Regular Session 

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2021 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

Senate Bill 2008

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-15-20, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 
TO AUTHORIZE A NURSE PRACTITIONER TO DISPENSE A LEGEND DRUG OR MEDICATION TO 
PATIENTS OF THE NURSE PRACTITIONER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

���� BE IT ENACTED BY THE 
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

���� SECTION 1.� Section 
73-15-20, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

���� 73-15-20.� (1)� Advanced 
practice registered nurses.� Any nurse desiring to be certified as an 
advanced practice registered nurse shall apply to the board and submit proof 
that he or she holds a current license to practice professional nursing and 
that he or she meets one or more of the following requirements:

��������� (a)� Satisfactory 
completion of a formal post-basic educational program of at least one (1) 
academic year, the primary purpose of which is to prepare nurses for advanced 
or specialized practice.

��������� (b)� Certification by a 
board-approved certifying body.� Such certification shall be required for 
initial state certification and any recertification as a registered nurse 
anesthetist, nurse practitioner or nurse midwife.� The board may by rule 
provide for provisional or temporary state certification of graduate nurse 
practitioners for a period of time determined to be appropriate for preparing 
and passing the National Certification Examination.� Those with provisional or 
temporary certifications must practice under the direct supervision of a 
licensed physician or a certified nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife 
with at least five (5) years of experience.

��������� (c) �Graduation from a 
program leading to a master's or post-master's degree in a nursing clinical 
specialty area with preparation in specialized practitioner skills.

���� (2)� Rulemaking.� The 
board shall provide by rule the appropriate requirements for advanced practice 
registered nurses in the categories of certified registered nurse anesthetist, 
certified nurse midwife and advanced practice registered nurse.

���� (3)� Collaboration.� 
An advanced practice registered nurse shall perform those functions authorized 
in this section within a collaborative/consultative relationship with a dentist 
or physician with an unrestricted license to practice dentistry or medicine in 
this state and within an established protocol or practice guidelines, as 
appropriate, that is filed with the board upon license application, license 
renewal, after entering into a new collaborative/consultative relationship or 
making changes to the protocol or practice guidelines or practice site.� The 
board shall review and approve the protocol to ensure compliance with 
applicable regulatory standards.� The advanced practice registered nurse may 
not practice as an APRN if there is no collaborative/consultative relationship 
with a physician or dentist and a board-approved protocol or practice 
guidelines.

���� (4)� Renewal.� The 
board shall renew a license for an advanced practice registered nurse upon 
receipt of the renewal application, fees and protocol or practice guidelines.� 
The board shall adopt rules establishing procedures for license renewals.� The 
board shall by rule prescribe continuing education requirements for advanced 
practice nurses not to exceed forty (40) hours biennially as a condition for 
renewal of a license or certificate.

���� (5)� Reinstatement.� 
Advanced practice registered nurses may reinstate a lapsed privilege to 
practice upon submitting documentation of a current active license to practice 
professional nursing, a reinstatement application and fee, a protocol or 
practice guidelines, documentation of current certification as an advanced practice 
nurse in a designated area of practice by a national certification organization 
recognized by the board and documentation of at least forty (40) hours of 
continuing education related to the advanced clinical practice of the nurse 
practitioner within the previous two-year period.� The board shall adopt rules 
establishing the procedure for reinstatement.

���� (6)� Changes in status.� 
The advanced practice registered nurse shall notify the board immediately 
regarding changes in the collaborative/consultative relationship with a 
licensed physician or dentist.� If changes leave the advanced practice 
registered nurse without a board-approved collaborative/consultative 
relationship with a physician or dentist, the advanced practice nurse may not 
practice as an advanced practice registered nurse.

���� (7)� Practice 
requirements.� The advanced practice registered nurse shall practice:

��������� (a)� According to 
standards and guidelines of the National Certification Organization.

��������� (b)� In a 
collaborative/consultative relationship with a licensed physician whose 
practice is compatible with that of