Public Act 0348 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0876 Enrolled LRB094 07691 AMC 37867 b

Public Act 094-0348

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act is amended by changing Section 15-10 as follows:

(225 ILCS 65/15-10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

Sec. 15-10. Advanced practice nurse; qualifications; roster.

(a) A person shall be qualified for licensure as an advanced practice nurse if that person:

(1) has applied in writing in form and substance satisfactory to the Department and has not violated a provision of this Act or the rules adopted under this Act. The Department may take into consideration any felony conviction of the applicant but a conviction shall not operate as an absolute bar to licensure;

(2) holds a current license to practice as a registered nurse in Illinois;

(3) has successfully completed requirements to practice as, and holds a current, national certification as, a nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, or certified registered nurse anesthetist from the appropriate national certifying body as determined by rule of the Department;

(4) has paid the required fees as set by rule; and

(5) has obtained a graduate degree appropriate for national certification in a clinical advanced practice nursing specialty or a graduate degree or post-master's certificate from a graduate level program in a clinical advanced practice nursing specialty successfully completed a post-basic advanced practice formal education program in the area of his or her nursing specialty.

(b) Those applicants seeking licensure in more than one advanced practice nursing category need not possess multiple graduate degrees. Applicants may be eligible for licenses for multiple advanced practice nurse licensure categories, provided that the applicant (i) has met the requirements for at least one advanced practice nursing specialty under paragraphs (3) and (5) of subsection (a) of this Section, (ii) possesses an additional graduate education that results in a certificate for another clinical advanced practice nurse category and that meets the requirements for the national certification from the appropriate nursing specialty, and (iii) holds a current national certification from the appropriate national certifying body for that additional advanced practice nursing category. In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (a), except item (5) of that subsection, beginning July 1, 2001 or 12 months after the adoption of final rules to implement this Section, whichever is sooner, applicants for initial licensure shall have a graduate degree appropriate for national certification in a clinical advanced practice nursing specialty.

(b-5) A registered professional nurse seeking licensure as an advanced practice nurse in the category of certified registered nurse anesthetist who applies on or before December 31, 2006 and does not have a graduate degree as described in subsection (b) shall be qualified for licensure if that person:

(1) submits evidence of having successfully completed a nurse anesthesia program described in item (5) of subsection (a) of this Section prior to January 1, 1999;

(2) submits evidence of certification as a registered nurse anesthetist by an appropriate national certifying body, as determined by rule of the Department; and

(3) has continually maintained active, up-to-date recertification status as a certified registered nurse anesthetist by an appropriate national recertifying body, as determined by rule of the Department.

(c) The Department shall provide by rule for APN licensure of registered professional nurses who (1) apply for licensure before July 1, 2001 and (2) submit evidence of completion of a program described in item (5) of subsection (a) or in subsection (b) and evidence of practice for at least 10 years as a nurse practitioner.

(d) The Department shall maintain a separate roster of advanced practice nurses licensed under this Title and their licenses shall indicate "Registered Nurse/Advanced Practice Nurse".

(Source: P.A. 93-296, eff. 7-22-03.)

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

Effective Date: 7/28/2005