Bill Text: FL S0476 | 2015 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Mental Health
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-23 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 335 (Ch. 2015-111) [S0476 Detail]
Download: Florida-2015-S0476-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2015 CS for SB 476 By the Committee on Health Policy; and Senator Grimsley 588-02741A-15 2015476c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to mental health; amending s. 394.455, 3 F.S.; redefining the term “psychiatric nurse”; 4 amending s. 394.463, F.S.; adding a psychiatric nurse 5 as a person at a receiving facility authorized to 6 perform a required examination of certain patients; 7 prohibiting the release of a patient from a receiving 8 facility that is owned or operated by a hospital or 9 health system without specified approvals; authorizing 10 the release of a patient by a psychiatric nurse under 11 certain circumstances; prohibiting a psychiatric nurse 12 from releasing a patient if the involuntary 13 examination was initiated by a psychiatrist without 14 the psychiatrist’s approval; providing an effective 15 date. 16 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18 19 Section 1. Subsection (23) of section 394.455, Florida 20 Statutes, is amended to read: 21 394.455 Definitions.—As used in this part, unless the 22 context clearly requires otherwise, the term: 23 (23) “Psychiatric nurse” means an advancedaregistered 24 nurse practitioner certified under s. 464.012 who has a master’s 25 or doctoral degree in psychiatric nursing, holds a national 26 advanced practice certification as a psychiatric-mental health 27 advanced practice nurse,licensed under part I of chapter 46428who has a master’s degree or a doctorate in psychiatric nursing29 and has 2 years of post-master’s clinical experience under the 30 supervision of a physician. 31 Section 2. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 32 394.463, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 33 394.463 Involuntary examination.— 34 (2) INVOLUNTARY EXAMINATION.— 35 (f) A patient shall be examined by a physician, aor36 clinical psychologist, or a psychiatric nurse performing within 37 the framework of an established protocol with a psychiatrist at 38 a receiving facility without unnecessary delay and may, upon the 39 order of a physician, be given emergency treatment if it is 40 determined that such treatment is necessary for the safety of 41 the patient or others. The patient may not be released by the 42 receiving facility or its contractor without the documented 43 approval of a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, or, if the 44 receiving facility is owned or operated by a hospital or health 45 system, the release may also be approved by a psychiatric nurse 46 performing within the framework of an established protocol with 47 a psychiatrist or an attending emergency department physician 48 with experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and 49 nervous disorders and after completion of an involuntary 50 examination pursuant to this subsection. A psychiatric nurse may 51 not approve the release of a patient when the involuntary 52 examination has been initiated by a psychiatrist unless the 53 release is approved by the initiating psychiatrist. However, a 54 patient may not be held in a receiving facility for involuntary 55 examination longer than 72 hours. 56 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.