(a)
(1) Any person holding a license to practice as a registered nurse and possessing the educational qualifications required under subsection (b) of this section to be licensed as a registered nurse practitioner, upon application and payment of necessary fees to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, may be licensed as a registered nurse practitioner and have the right to use the title of “registered nurse practitioner” and the abbreviation “R.N.P.”.
(2) No other person shall assume such a title or use such an abbreviation or any other words, letters, signs, or devices to indicate that the person using them is a registered nurse practitioner.
(b) In order to be licensed as a registered nurse practitioner, a registered nurse must hold a certificate or academic degree evidencing successful completion of the educational program of an accredited school of nursing or other nationally recognized accredited program recognized by the board as meeting the requirements of a nurse practitioner program.
(c) However, any person qualified to receive a license as a registered nurse practitioner may obtain the license upon the payment of a fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the original license. The license fees are to be in addition to the person's registered nurse license fees.