La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XLVII-3105

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024

Section XLVII-3105 - History

A. Louisiana nurses were among the first in the nation to recognize the value of having a nurse practice act administered by a board of nursing to set standards for nursing education, to examine candidates, and to license practitioners. The first proposal for a nurse practice act in Louisiana in 1904 was unsuccessful. Prior to 1904 only three states had boards of nursing.

B. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing came into existence in July 1912, when Act 138 became law. At that time the name was "The Louisiana Nurses' Board of Examiners." Five physicians were designated to administer the provisions of that law because women were not permitted to hold public office. They could not vote.

C. The original act was amended in 1922 and stipulated that there should be at least one nurse member. By that time women could vote. The act was subsequently amended in 1926 to provide for three registered nurse members and two physician members. The board became known as "The Louisiana State Board of Nurse Examiners" in 1942 when the act was amended. The 1966 amendment called for five registered nurses and two physicians. Act 351 of 1976 designated seven registered nurse members and two physicians to serve as ex officio nonvoting members of the board. The name was changed to "The Louisiana State Board of Nursing."

D. The 1995 Louisiana Legislature re-enacted the Nurse Practice Act, Act 633, providing for an eleven member board: nine registered nurses and two physicians who serve as ex-officio members. This Act additionally provides for licensure of advanced practice registered nurses, requiring registered nurses who are engaged in advanced practice to hold both a registered nurse license and an advanced practice registered nurse license. A separate statute, Act 629, provides for demonstration projects to provide for limited prescription activities for specifically authorized advanced practice registered nurses.

E.

1. The 2016 Legislature amended the Nurse Practice Act, Act 598, to remove the two ex officio, non-voting physician members and replace them with two representatives of the consumers of Louisiana from the state at-large, appointed by the governor and neither of whom shall be a nurse. The consumer members must:

a. be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to appointment;

b. have attained the age of majority;

c. have never engaged in any activity directly related to the practice of professional nursing; and

d. have never been convicted of a felony.

2. The consumer members will be fully active, voting members of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLVII-3105

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Board of Nursing, LR 3:183 (April 1977), amended by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Nursing, LR 24:1293 (July 1998), Amended by the Department of Health, Board of Nursing, LR 431378 (7/1/2017).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:918.