Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 7, Part 1 and Title 68.
This bill specifies that the present law provisions defining what constitutes the practice of nursing does not preclude a qualified registered nurse from determining whether a patient in or presenting to a hospital has an emergency medical condition if the determination is pursuant to:<br /> <br /> (1) A cooperative working relationship with a physician; and<br /> (2) Protocols jointly developed by the hospital's medical and nursing leadership and adopted by the hospital's medical staff and governing body. <br /> <br /> This bill specifies that the protocols described in (1) above must include a requirement that the nurse obtain the concurrence of a physician when making a determination authorized under (1) above. This bill defines "qualified registered nurse" as a nurse who has been approved by the hospital governing body, based on the recommendation of hospital nursing leadership, as possessing the skills and competency to make a determination of the existence of specified emergency medical conditions.<br /> <br /> ON MARCH 7, 2019, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 317, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 specifies that this bill applies to qualified registered nurses, limits this bill's authorization for qualified registered nurses to determine whether a patient has an emergency medical condition to situations where the patient is presenting to the hospital and not already a patient, and defines "emergency medical condition" to mean:<br /> <br /> (1) A medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in:<br /> (A) Placing the health of the individual or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or the woman's unborn child, in serious jeopardy;<br /> (B) Serious impairment to bodily functions; or<br /> (C) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; and<br /> (2) With respect to a pregnant woman who is having contractions:<br /> (A) That there is inadequate time to effect a safe transfer to another hospital before delivery; or<br /> (B) That transfer may pose a threat to the health or safety of the woman or the woman's unborn child.<br /> <br />
This bill specifies that the present law provisions defining what constitutes the practice of nursing does not preclude a qualified registered nurse from determining whether a patient in or presenting to a hospital has an emergency medical condition if the determination is pursuant to:<br /> <br /> (1) A cooperative working relationship with a physician; and<br /> (2) Protocols jointly developed by the hospital's medical and nursing leadership and adopted by the hospital's medical staff and governing body. <br /> <br /> This bill specifies that the protocols described in (1) above must include a requirement that the nurse obtain the concurrence of a physician when making a determination authorized under (1) above. This bill defines "qualified registered nurse" as a nurse who has been approved by the hospital governing body, based on the recommendation of hospital nursing leadership, as possessing the skills and competency to make a determination of the existence of specified emergency medical conditions.<br /> <br /> ON MARCH 7, 2019, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 317, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 specifies that this bill applies to qualified registered nurses, limits this bill's authorization for qualified registered nurses to determine whether a patient has an emergency medical condition to situations where the patient is presenting to the hospital and not already a patient, and defines "emergency medical condition" to mean:<br /> <br /> (1) A medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in:<br /> (A) Placing the health of the individual or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or the woman's unborn child, in serious jeopardy;<br /> (B) Serious impairment to bodily functions; or<br /> (C) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; and<br /> (2) With respect to a pregnant woman who is having contractions:<br /> (A) That there is inadequate time to effect a safe transfer to another hospital before delivery; or<br /> (B) That transfer may pose a threat to the health or safety of the woman or the woman's unborn child.<br /> <br />
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