Title 37. Professions and Occupations

Chapter 11. Nurses

Part I. Registered Nurses

37:913     Definitions

As used in this Part: 

(1) “Advanced practice registered nurse” or “APRN” means a licensed registered nurse who is certified by a nationally recognized certifying body, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center, as having an advanced nursing specialty as described in this Part and who meets the criteria for an advanced practice registered nurse as established by the board. In the absence of the availability of a national certification examination in a selected clinical area, the board may establish commensurate requirements. An advanced practice registered nurse shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 

(a) Certified nurse midwife or “CNM” who is an advanced practice registered nurse educated in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery and certified according to a nationally recognized certifying body, such as the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council, as approved by the board and who is authorized to manage the nurse midwifery care of newborns and women in the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and/or gynecological periods. 

(b) Certified registered nurse anesthetist or “CRNA” who is an advanced practice registered nurse educated in the field of nurse anesthesia and certified according to the requirements of a nationally recognized certifying body such as the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists or the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, as approved by the board and who is authorized to select and administer anesthetics or ancillary services to patients under their care. 

(c) Clinical nurse specialist or “CNS” who is an advanced practice registered nurse educated in a recognized nursing specialty area who is certified according to the requirements of a nationally recognized certifying body such as the American Nurses Association’s American Nurses Credentialing Center, as approved by the board and who is authorized to provide direct nursing care to a select population in a recognized nursing specialty area, and plans, guides, and directs care given by other nursing personnel. 

(d) Nurse practitioner or “NP” who is an advanced practice registered nurse educated in a specified area of care and certified according to the requirements of a nationally recognized accrediting agency such as the American Nurses Association’s American Nurses Credentialing Center, National Certification Corporation for the Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties, or the National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses, or as approved by the board and who is authorized to provide primary, acute, or chronic care as an advanced nurse practitioner acting within his scope of practice to individuals, families, and other groups in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, homes, institutions, offices, industry, schools, and other community agencies. 

(2) “Advanced practice registered nurse student” means any licensed registered nurse enrolled as a student in an educational program which prepares him for advanced practice of nursing which meets the board’s criteria for advanced practice educational programs, and whose graduates are eligible for certification by a nationally recognized certifying body. 

(3)(a) “Advanced practice registered nursing” means nursing by a certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner which is based on knowledge and skills acquired in a basic nursing education program, licensure as a registered nurse, and a minimum of a master’s degree with a concentration in the respective advanced practice nursing specialty which includes both didactic and clinical components, advanced knowledge in nursing theory, physical and psychosocial assessment, nursing interventions, and management of health care. Advanced practice registered nursing includes: 

(i) Assessing patients, analyzing and synthesizing data, and knowledge of and applying nursing principles at an advanced level. 

(ii) Providing guidance and teaching. 

(iii) Working with patients and families in meeting health care needs. 

(iv) Collaborating with other health care providers. 

(v) Managing patients’ physical and psychosocial health-illness status with regard to nursing care. 

(vi) Utilizing research skills. 

(vii) Analyzing multiple sources of data and identifying and performing certain acts of medical diagnosis in accordance with the collaborative practice agreement. 

(viii) Making decisions in solving patient care problems and selecting treatment regimens in collaboration with a licensed physician, dentist, or other health care provider as indicated. 

(ix) Consulting with or referring patients to licensed physicians, dentists, and other health care providers in accordance with a collaborative practice agreement. 

(b) Advanced practice registered nursing may include certain acts of medical diagnosis, in accordance with R.S. 37:913(8) and (9), or medical prescriptions of therapeutic or corrective nature, prescribing assessment studies, legend and certain controlled drugs, therapeutic regimens, medical devices and appliances, receiving and distributing a therapeutic regimen of prepackaged drugs prepared and labeled by a licensed pharmacist, and free samples supplied by a drug manufacturer, and distributing drugs for administration to and use by other individuals within the scope of practice as defined by the board and in accordance with this Paragraph. 

(c) Advanced practice registered nursing may include the provision of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), as authorized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and in accordance with rules promulgated by the board. At a minimum, rules promulgated by the board shall include a requirement that in order for the APRN to provide MAT, his collaborating physician shall also be authorized and in compliance with all federal and state laws and rules authorizing the provision of MAT. For purposes of this Subparagraph, “MAT” means the use of medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders and prevent opioid overdose. 

(4) “Approved program” means a nursing education program approved by the board. 

(5) “Authorized prescriber” means a licensed physician, dentist, or other health care provider authorized by law to prescribe drugs, medications, medical devices or appliances, and health care regimens. 

(6) “Board” means the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. 

(6.1) “Clinical phase of nursing education” means those nursing courses that require a student to provide nursing care, under faculty supervision, to individuals, families, and communities in diverse health care settings. 

(7) “Collaboration” means a cooperative working relationship with licensed physicians, dentists, or other health care providers to jointly contribute to providing patient care and may include but not be limited to discussion of a patient’s diagnosis and cooperation in the management and delivery of health care with each provider performing those activities that he is legally authorized to perform. 

(8) “Collaborative practice” means the joint management of the health care of a patient by an advanced practice registered nurse performing advanced practice registered nursing and one or more consulting physicians or dentists. Except as otherwise provided in R.S. 37:930, acts of medical diagnosis and prescription by an advanced practice registered nurse shall be in accordance with a collaborative practice agreement. 

(9) “Collaborative practice agreement” means a formal written statement addressing the parameters of the collaborative practice which are mutually agreed upon by the advanced practice registered nurse and one or more licensed physicians or dentists which shall include but not be limited to the following provisions: 

(a) Availability of the collaborating physician or dentist for consultation or referral, or both. 

(b) Methods of management of the collaborative practice which shall include clinical practice guidelines. 

(c) Coverage of the health care needs of a patient during any absence of the advanced practice registered nurse, physician, or dentist. 

(10) “Endorsement” means certification of an applicant who is duly licensed as a registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse in another state, territory, or country for licensure to practice as a registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse in this state. 

(11) “Nationally recognized certifying body” means a national certification organization which certifies qualified licensed nurses as advanced practice registered nurses and which requires certain eligibility criteria related to education and practice, offers an examination in an advanced nursing area which meets current psychometric guidelines and tests, and is approved by the board. 

(12) “Nursing diagnosis” means the identification of actual or potential responses to health needs or problems based on collecting, analyzing, and comparing data with appropriate nursing standards to serve as the basis for indicating nursing care or for which referral to appropriate medical or community resources is necessary. 

(13) “Practice of nursing” means the performance, with or without compensation, by an individual licensed by the board as a registered nurse, of functions requiring specialized knowledge and skills derived from the biological, physical, and behavioral sciences. The practice of nursing or registered nursing shall not be deemed to include acts of medical diagnosis or medical prescriptions of therapeutic or corrective nature. 

(14) “Registered nursing” means the practice of the scope of nursing which is appropriate to the individual’s educational level, knowledge, skills, and abilities, including: 

(a) Assessing the health status of an individual or group of individuals. 

(b) Establishing a nursing diagnosis and identifying health care needs, or both. 

(c) Establishing goals to meet identified health care needs. 

(d) Planning nursing care measures. 

(e) Implementing nursing care through such services as case finding, health instruction, health counseling, providing care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being, and executing health care regimens as prescribed by licensed physicians, dentists, or other authorized prescribers. 

(f) Delegating nursing interventions to qualified nursing personnel in accordance with criteria established by the board. 

(g) Maintaining nursing care rendered directly or indirectly. 

(h) Evaluating human responses to interventions. 

(i) Teaching the theory and practice of nursing. 

(j) Managing and supervising the practice of nursing. 

(k) Collaborating with licensed physicians, dentists, and other health care providers in the management of health care. 

(l) Performing additional acts which are recognized within standards of nursing practice and which are authorized by the board. 

(15) “Registered nurse” means any individual licensed under this Part to engage in the practice of nursing as defined in Paragraph (14) of this Section. 

(16) “Student nurse” means any individual who is enrolled in an approved program preparing for licensure as a registered nurse. 

Acts 1976, No. 351, § 1. Amended by Acts 1995, No. 633, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1995, No. 1209, § 1; Acts 1997, No. 720, § 1, eff. July 9, 1997; Acts 1999, No. 315, § 1, eff. June 16, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 480, § 1; Acts 2003, No. 1094, § 1, eff. July 2, 2003; Acts 2019, No. 414, § 1