SB2151 - Nursing Delegation Summary

• Amends the Nurse Practice Act to redefine registered professional nursing practice as a scientific process based on professional knowledge, including all nursing specialties and performance of nursing acts based on professional knowledge, judgment, and skills acquired through approved nursing education.

• Authorizes registered professional nurses to delegate nursing interventions and tasks to other registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses, and to delegate tasks to unlicensed personnel based on comprehensive nursing assessment.

• Prohibits individuals or entities from mandating that registered professional nurses delegate nursing interventions if the nurse determines it is inappropriate; nurses cannot be subject to disciplinary action for refusing delegation based on patient safety.

• Removes provisions allowing delegation of medication administration to unlicensed personnel in community-based or in-home care settings; prohibits medication delegation to unlicensed personnel in institutional or long-term care facilities.

• Effective August 1, 2019.