(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for a patient aged 50 years or older, a registered nurse or licensed pharmacist may administer in a skilled nursing facility, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1250, influenza and pneumococcal immunizations pursuant to standing orders and without patient-specific orders if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) The skilled nursing facility medical director, as defined in Section 72305 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, has approved the immunization standing orders established by the facility.
(2) The standing orders meet the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(b) Nothing in this section amends, alters, or restricts the scope of registered nurse practice including, but not limited to, the scope of practice set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 2725) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, the implementing regulations, and interpretative bulletins or practice advisories issued by the Board of Registered Nursing.
(Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 58, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2006.)