Registration and Regulation Committee
Adopted in House Comm. on May 19, 2005
 
 

 




 

 		












09400SB1842ham001

LRB094 11425 RAS 45614 a






1

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1842




2
    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1842 by replacing 
3
everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 
4
    "Section 5. The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act 
5
is amended  by adding Section 10-37 as follows:
 
6
    (225 ILCS 65/10-37  new)
7
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

8
    Sec. 10-37. Nurse externship permit.
9
    (a) The Department shall establish a 2-year program under 
10
which the Department may issue a nurse externship permit to a 
11
registered nurse who is licensed under the laws of another 
12
state or territory of the United States and who has not taken 
13
the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). A nurse who 
14
is issued a permit shall be allowed to practice as a nurse 
15
extern under the direct, on-site supervision of a registered 
16
professional nurse licensed under this Act. There shall be one 
17
supervising registered professional nurse for every one nurse 
18
extern.
19
    (b) An applicant shall be qualified to receive a nurse 
20
externship permit if that applicant:
21
        (1)   Has submitted a completed written application to 
22
    the Department, on forms provided by the Department, and 
23
    paid any fees established by the Department.
24
        (2)   Has graduated from a professional nursing 
 


 






09400SB1842ham001
- 2 -
LRB094 11425 RAS 45614 a




1
    education program approved by the Department.
2
        (3)   Is licensed as a professional nurse in another 
3
    state or territory of the United States and has submitted a 
4
    verification of active and unencumbered licensure in all of 
5
    the states and  territories in which the applicant is 
6
    licensed.
7
        (4)   Has submitted verification of an offer of 
8
    employment in Illinois as a nurse extern.  The Department 
9
    may prescribe the information necessary to determine if 
10
    this employment meets the requirements of the permit 
11
    program. This information shall include a copy of the 
12
    written employment offer.
13
        (5)   Has submitted a written statement from the 
14
    applicant's prospective employer stating that the 
15
    prospective employer agrees to pay the full tuition for the 
16
    Bilingual Nurse Consortium course or other course approved 
17
    by rule.
18
        (6)   Has submitted proof of taking the Test of English 
19
    as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score as set 
20
    by rule.  Applicants with the highest TOEFL scores shall be 
21
    given first consideration to entrance into an extern 
22
    program.
23
        (7)   Has submitted written verification that the 
24
    applicant has been enrolled in the Bilingual Nurse 
25
    Consortium course or other course approved by rule. This 
26
    verification must state that the applicant shall be able to 
27
    complete the course within the year for which the permit is 
28
    issued.
29
        (8) Has agreed to submit to the Department a mid-year 
30
    exam as determined by rule that demonstrates proficiency 
31
    towards passing the NCLEX.
32
        (9)   Has not violated the provisions of Section 10-45 of 
33
    this Act.  The Department may take into consideration any 
34
    felony conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction 
 


 






09400SB1842ham001
- 3 -
LRB094 11425 RAS 45614 a




1
    shall not operate as an absolute bar to licensure.
2
        (10)   Has met all other requirements established by 
3
    rule.
4
    (c) A nurse extern shall be issued no more than one permit 
5
in a lifetime. The permit shall expire one calendar year after 
6
it is issued. Before being issued a license under this Act, the 
7
nurse extern must submit proof of the successful completion of 
8
the Bilingual Nurse Consortium course or other course approved 
9
by rule and successful passage of the NCLEX.  The nurse extern 
10
shall not practice autonomous, professional nursing until he or 
11
she is licensed under this Act. The nurse extern shall carry 
12
out progressive nursing skills under the direct supervision of 
13
a registered nurse licensed under this Act and shall not be 
14
employed in a supervisory capacity.  The nurse extern shall work 
15
only in the sponsoring facility. A nurse extern may work for a 
16
period not to exceed one calendar year from the date of 
17
issuance of the permit or until he or she fails the NCLEX.  
18
While working as a nurse extern, the nurse extern is subject to 
19
the provisions of this Act and all rules adopted by the 
20
Department for the administration of this Act.
21
    (d) The Secretary shall convene a task force within 2 
22
months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
23
94th General Assembly to establish clinical guidelines that 
24
allow for the  gradual progression of nursing skills in 
25
culturally diverse practice settings.  The Nursing Act 
26
Coordinator or his or her designee shall serve as chairperson 
27
of the task force.  The task force shall include, but not be 
28
limited to, 2 representatives of the Illinois Nurses 
29
Association, 2 representatives of the Illinois Hispanic Nurses 
30
Association, a nurse engaged in nursing education who possesses 
31
a master's degree or higher, one representative from the 
32
Humboldt Park Vocational Educational Center, 2 registered 
33
nurses from United States territories who each hold a current 
34
State nursing license, one representative from the Chicago 
 


 






09400SB1842ham001
- 4 -
LRB094 11425 RAS 45614 a




1
Bilingual Nurse Consortium, and one member of the Illinois 
2
Hospital Association.  The task force shall complete this work 
3
no longer than 4 months after convening.  After the nurse 
4
externship permit program has been in effect for 2 years, the 
5
task force shall evaluate the effectiveness of the program and 
6
make appropriate recommendations to the Secretary.
 

7
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
8
becoming law.".