MS HB398

Certified nurse practitioners with over 3,600 hours of clinical practice are exempt from requiring a written collaborative agreement with a physician if their previous agreement terminated due to physician retirement, relocation, or other reasons beyond the nurse practitioner's control.

Qualified nurse practitioners meeting the 3,600-hour threshold may continue practicing in collaboration with another advanced practice registered nurse or nurse practitioner instead of a physician, and are not required to submit patient charts to a physician for review.

The nurse practitioner must demonstrate good faith efforts to secure a new physician collaborative agreement and obtain approval from the Mississippi Board of Nursing before practicing under the exemption.

Conforming amendments to Section 73-15-20 clarify that the collaboration requirements for advanced practice registered nurses do not apply when Section 73-25-35 exceptions are met.

The act takes effect July 1, 2018.