65-1130. Advanced practice registered nurse; standards and requirements for licensure; rules and regulations; roles, titles and abbreviations; prescription of drugs authorized; licensure of currently registered individuals.
(a) No professional nurse shall announce or represent to the public that such person is an advanced practice registered nurse unless such professional nurse has complied with requirements established by the board and holds a valid license as an advanced practice registered nurse in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) The board shall establish standards and requirements for any professional nurse who desires to obtain licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse. Such standards and requirements shall include, but not be limited to, standards and requirements relating to the education of advanced practice registered nurses. The board may give such examinations and secure such assistance as it deems necessary to determine the qualifications of applicants.
(c) The board shall adopt rules and regulations applicable to advanced practice registered nurses which:
(1) Establish roles and identify titles and abbreviations of advanced practice registered nurses which are consistent with nursing practice specialties recognized by the nursing profession.
(2) Establish education and qualifications necessary for licensure for each role of advanced practice registered nurse established by the board at a level adequate to assure the competent performance by advanced practice registered nurses of functions and procedures which advanced practice registered nurses are authorized to perform. Advanced practice registered nursing is based on knowledge and skills acquired in basic nursing education, licensure as a registered nurse and graduation from or completion of a master's or higher degree in one of the advanced practice registered nurse roles approved by the board of nursing.
(3) Define the role of advanced practice registered nurses and establish limitations and restrictions on such role. The board shall adopt a definition of the role under this paragraph which is consistent with the education and qualifications required to obtain a license as an advanced practice registered nurse, which protects the public from persons performing functions and procedures as advanced practice registered nurses for which they lack adequate education and qualifications and which authorizes advanced practice registered nurses to perform acts generally recognized by the profession of nursing as capable of being performed, in a manner consistent with the public health and safety, by persons with postbasic education in nursing. In defining such role the board shall consider: (A) The education required for a licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse; (B) the type of nursing practice and preparation in specialized advanced practice skills involved in each role of advanced practice registered nurse established by the board; (C) the scope and limitations of advanced practice nursing prescribed by national advanced practice organizations; and (D) acts recognized by the nursing profession as appropriate to be performed by persons with postbasic education in nursing.
(d) An advanced practice registered nurse may prescribe drugs pursuant to a written protocol as authorized by a responsible physician. Each written protocol shall contain a precise and detailed medical plan of care for each classification of disease or injury for which the advanced practice registered nurse is authorized to prescribe and shall specify all drugs which may be prescribed by the advanced practice registered nurse. Any written prescription order shall include the name, address and telephone number of the responsible physician. The advanced practice registered nurse may not dispense drugs, but may request, receive and sign for professional samples and may distribute professional samples to patients pursuant to a written protocol as authorized by a responsible physician. In order to prescribe controlled substances, the advanced practice registered nurse shall: (1) Register with the federal drug enforcement administration; and (2) notify the board of the name and address of the responsible physician or physicians. In no case shall the scope of authority of the advanced practice registered nurse exceed the normal and customary practice of the responsible physician. An advanced practice registered nurse certified in the role of registered nurse anesthetist while functioning as a registered nurse anesthetist under K.S.A. 65-1151 through 65-1164, and amendments thereto, shall be subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 65-1151 through 65-1164, and amendments thereto, with respect to drugs and anesthetic agents and shall not be subject to the provisions of this subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, "responsible physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Kansas who has accepted responsibility for the protocol and the actions of the advanced practice registered nurse when prescribing drugs.
(e) As used in this section, "drug" means those articles and substances defined as drugs in K.S.A. 65-1626 and 65-4101, and amendments thereto.
(f) A person registered to practice as an advanced registered nurse practitioner in the state of Kansas immediately prior to the effective date of this act shall be deemed to be licensed to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse under this act and such person shall not be required to file an original application for licensure under this act. Any application for registration filed which has not been granted prior to the effective date of this act shall be processed as an application for licensure under this act.
(g) An advanced practice registered nurse certified in the role of certified nurse-midwife and engaging in the independent practice of midwifery under the independent practice of midwifery act with respect to prescribing drugs shall be subject to the provisions of the independent practice of midwifery act and shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.
History: L. 1983, ch. 206, § 2; L. 1989, ch. 192, § 1; L. 1999, ch. 115, § 1; L. 2011, ch. 114, § 44; L. 2016, ch. 92, § 98; Jan. 1, 2017.