APRNs could be required to complete graduate courses for licensing

The House passed a bill 127-0 Thursday that would modify licensing requirements for advance practice registered nurses, to require graduate-level coursework.

Rep. Barb Haley

Sponsored by Rep. Barb Haley (R-Red Wing) and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), HF733/SF527* would add additional requirements for APRN programs, completed on or after Jan. 1, 2016, to include at least one graduate-level course in the following subjects: advanced physiology and pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics.

It was passed 63-0 by the Senate May 4 and now goes to Gov. Mark Dayton.

APRNs who completed their programs before 2016 would need to demonstrate compliance with the education requirements in effect at that time.

Licensed by the Board of Nursing, an APRN must also be certified by a national certification organization to practice as a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner.

The bill would allow collaborative agreements to let APRN’s complete postgraduate practice hour requirements within hospitals or integrated clinical settings. In addition, it would remove additional requirements for applicants to be licensed, without examination, if they are licensed as a nurse in another state or country with equivalent qualifications.