|
|
THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF |
|
TO: |
Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee |
|
FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier |
|
SUBJECT: |
Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Requirements for Certification as a Nurse Practitioner |
|
DATE: |
February 27, 2006 |
|
STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goal 3 |
|
AUTHORIZATION(S): |
|
SUMMARY
Issue for
Discussion
Should the Regents amend section 64.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, relating to requirements for certification as a nurse practitioner?
Reason(s) for Consideration
Review of Policy.
Proposed
Handling
The proposed amendment is before the Committee for discussion in March 2006 and will be submitted for action at the May 2006 Regents meeting.
Procedural
History
A Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register on March 15, 2006. Supporting materials for the proposed amendment are available upon request from the Secretary to the Board of Regents.
Background
Information
The purpose of the proposed
amendment is to strengthen the education requirements for certified nurse
practitioners to be certified in an additional specialty area of practice. Nurse practitioners are certified
in a particular specialty area of practice. The amendment would phase out
alternative criteria for certification in an additional specialty area of
practice and require candidates to complete the standard requirements for
certification, which include completion of a registered master's degree or
advanced certificate program in the area of specialty, or its equivalent; or
certification as a nurse practitioner in the specialty area by a national
certifying body acceptable to the Department. The State Board for Nursing has approved
this change.
The proposed amendment would close what was intended to be a limited window of opportunity for nurse practitioners to qualify for certification in additional specialty areas through completion of 60 hours of continuing education in the specialty area and 1,000 hours of clinical practice in the specialty. These requirements were designed primarily to provide a route to certification in another specialty area of practice for certified nurse practitioners who were employed in the specialty area of practice before the effective date of this licensed profession. The objective was to provide experienced nurse practitioners a route to certification in another specialty area without requiring them to return to college to complete a master's degree or advanced certificate program in the specialty area. The Department believes that this option is no longer needed and that this change will strengthen the educational preparation of certified nurse practitioners.
The proposed amendment also makes several minor technical changes in the regulation, correcting the terminology for the titles "physician assistant" and "midwife" and a lettering error.
Recommendation
N/A
Timetable for
Implementation
The effective date of the proposed amendment is June 15, 2006. The amendment phases out the alternative requirements, permitting certification through the alternative requirements if the certified nurse practitioner applies to the Department by August 15, 2006 and meets all requirements by September 15, 2006.
Attachment
AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Pursuant to Sections 207, 6504, 6506, 6507, 6902 and 6910 of the
Education Law.
1. Subparagraph (iii) of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of section 64.4 of the Regulations of the
Commissioner of Education is amended, effective June 15, 2006, as
follows:
(iii) satisfactory
completion of a nationally recognized examination acceptable for licensure in
2. Subdivision (d) of section 64.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner
of Education is amended effective June 15, 2006 as
follows:
(d) Alternative criteria for certification in additional specialty areas
of practice. (1) The alternative
requirements of this subdivision are only available to applicants who apply to
the department for certification in the additional specialty area of practice on
or before August 15, 2006 and who meet all requirements for certification under
this subdivision by September 15, 2006.
These alternative requirements for certification shall not be available
to applicants who do not meet these conditions and shall not be available to
applicants who apply for certification after August 15, 2006.
[(1)] (2) . . .
[(2)] (3) . . .
3. Subdivision (f) of section 64.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner
of Education is relettered subdivision (e), effective June 15,
2006.