UNAC/UHCP > Scope of Practice for Nurses & Health Care ProfessionalsLegislative Accomplishments >
Legislative Accomplishment
Scope of Practice for Nurses & Health Care Professionals
UNAC/UHCP advocates for the effective utilization of nurses and other health care professionals within the health care system by promoting a working environment that benefits from the full exercise of their educational preparation and professionally earned competencies.
1997
UNAC/UHCP supports and advocates for AB 90 Cunneen (R), with the objective of establishing a certificate program for clinical nurse specialists. This bill successfully passes in the California State Senate and Assembly and is later signed into law by Governor Pete Wilson (R).
2001
UNAC/UHCP succeeds in advocating for the enactment of SB 298 (Figueroa -D), which allows certified nurse midwives to furnish or order controlled substances for patients under specified circumstances.
2004
AB 2560 (Montanez – D), another noteworthy legislative bill garnering support from UNAC/UHCP, is enacted to authorize nurse practitioners to furnish drugs or order devices for their patients under the express standardized procedures or protocols. The bill allows for such practice to occur specifically when the drugs and devices furnished or ordered are consistent with the practitioner’s educational preparation, or for which clinical competency has been established and maintained. The bill also expands the types of health facilities to which these provisions are applicable.
2006
UNAC/UHCP successfully advocates for the enactment of AB 1591 (Chan – D). The bill provides that the services of a nurse practitioner are covered by Medi-Cal to the extent authorized by federal law, and requires the state to permit any certified nurse practitioner to bill Medi-Cal for these services.
2008
SB 1406 (Correa – D), clarifying the scope of practice for optometrists, passes the legislature and is signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). This bill allows optometrists who are certified to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents to: order any test or procedure necessary for the diagnosis of conditions or diseases of the eye; to prescribe lenses or devices that incorporate any medications or therapies for which the optometrists are certified; to use sharp instruments within the central three millimeters of the cornea; and to perform non-intraorbital injections.
AB 3 (Bass – D), a scope of practice bill regarding physicians assistants is also passed and signed by the governor). This bill creates the California Team Practice Improvement Act, which deletes the prohibition on the authority of a physicians assistant to issue a drug order for specified classes of controlled substances. UNAC/UHCP is effective in supporting and advocating for the passage of this bill.
Assembly Member Edward Hernandez (D) champions another scope of practice bill this year – AB 1436 – that unfortunately dies in the Senate.
