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THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF |
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TO: |
Full Board |
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FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier |
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SUBJECT: |
Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Requirements for Certification as a Nurse Practitioner |
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DATE: |
June 29, 2006 |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goal 3 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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SUMMARY
Issue for Decision (Consent
Agenda)
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 submitted for approval at the July 2006 Regents meeting.
Procedural
History
The proposed amendment was discussed at the meeting of the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee in March 2006. A Notice of Proposed Rule Making was published in the State Register on March 15, 2006. Since the March 2006 Regents meeting, the proposed amendment has been revised, as discussed below. A Notice of Revised Rule Making was published in the State Register on May 31, 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.
Since the March 2006 Regents meeting, the proposed amendment has been revised to extend the date by which a certified nurse practitioner may apply for an additional specialty area of practice under the alternative criteria from August 15, 2006 to September 15, 2006, and extend the date by which they must meet all of the alternative requirements from September 15, 2006 to September 15, 2007. These changes were made as a result of discussions with an organization representing nurse practitioners. The revision is needed to enable nurse practitioners who apply for certification in an additional specialty area of practice under the alternative criteria by September 15, 2006, additional time to meet the alternative criteria. It will enable nurse practitioners who are in the process of meeting the alternative requirements the opportunity to complete them by September 15, 2007 and allow them to meet deficiencies identified by the Department during its review.
Recommendation
I recommend that the Board of Regents take the following action:
VOTED: That subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of section 64.4 and subdivision (d) of section 64.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, and that subdivision (f) of section 64.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be relettered subdivision (e), as submitted, effective August 17, 2006.
Timetable for
Implementation
The effective date of the proposed amendment is August 17, 2006. The amendment phases out the alternative requirements, permitting certification through the alternative requirements if the certified nurse practitioner applies to the Department by September 15, 2006 and meets all requirements by September 15, 2007.
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 August 17, 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 August 17, 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 September 15, 2006 and who meet all requirements for certification
under this subdivision by September 15, 2007. 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 September 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 August 17,
2006.