The California Board of Nursing states that a new California law, AB-890 expands the scope of practice rules for nurse practitioners. The law is effective January 1, 2023. To take advantage of the new law, nurses must meet specific California requirements. Nurse practitioners who do meet the requirements may be able to practice “independently,” in some cases.
Nurses who do not meet the requirements must comply with “Standardized Procedures, the mechanism for Nurse Practitioners to perform functions which would be considered the practice of medicine.”
What were the standardized procedures that nurse practitioners needed to meet prior to AB 890?
The standardized procedures are those set forth in California law. Standardized procedures mean either of the following:
“(1) Policies and protocols developed by a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code through collaboration among administrators and health professionals including physicians and nurses.
(2) Policies and protocols developed through collaboration among administrators and health professionals, including physicians and nurses, by an organized health care system which is not a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.
The policies and protocols shall be subject to any guidelines for standardized procedures that the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California and the Board of Registered Nursing may jointly promulgate. If promulgated, the guidelines shall be administered by the Board of Registered Nursing.”
What duties do nurses perform?
“Those functions, including basic health care, that help people cope with difficulties in daily living that are associated with their actual or potential health or illness problems or the treatment thereof, and that require a substantial amount of scientific knowledge or technical skill, including all of the following:
(1) Direct and indirect patient care services that ensure the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection of patients; and the performance of disease prevention and restorative measures.
(2) Direct and indirect patient care services, including, but not limited to, the administration of medications and therapeutic agents, necessary to implement a treatment, disease prevention, or rehabilitative regimen ordered by and within the scope of licensure of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or clinical psychologist, as defined by Section 1316.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) The performance of skin tests, immunization techniques, and the withdrawal of human blood from veins and arteries.
(4) Observation of signs and symptoms of illness, reactions to treatment, general behavior, or general physical condition, and (A) determination of whether the signs, symptoms, reactions, behavior, or general appearance exhibit abnormal characteristics, and (B) implementation, based on observed abnormalities, of appropriate reporting, or referral, or standardized procedures, or changes in treatment regimen in accordance with standardized procedures, or the initiation of emergency procedures.”
Why was the AB 890 legislation enacted?
According to the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine, the California NP scope of practice law was enacted to help mitigate COVID-19. AB90 was one of many bills introduced nationwide to help healthcare providers respond to the pandemic. Other COVID bills passed in California included bills to:
AB 890 is still awaiting new rules which will be drafted by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
What did Assembly Bill (AB) 90 do?
