Bill Text: NJ S3939 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires New Jersey Board of Nursing to establish Nursing Scribe Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S3939 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3939-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires New Jersey Board of Nursing to establish Nursing Scribe Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning a nurse scribe program and supplementing P.L.1947, c.262 (C.45:11-23 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The New Jersey Board of Nursing, in conjunction with schools of nursing approved by the board, shall establish a Nursing Scribe Program. Under the program, the board shall authorize schools of nursing approved by the board to grant academic credit to a nursing student enrolled in the school for the successful completion of a nurse scribe course.
b. The board shall promulgate regulations establishing curriculum guidelines for the nurse scribe course. At a minimum, the course shall:
(1) provide training and instruction in electronic medical records documentation and unit workflows; medical terminology; the applicable provisions of the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," Pub.L.104-191; and the principles of medical billing, coding, and reimbursement; and
(2) require the student to complete practicum hours, in an amount determined appropriate by the board, providing nurse scribe services.
c. As used in this act:
"Board" means the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
"Nurse scribe services" means the provision of documentation assistance provided to a nurse licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing regarding a patient's encounter with the nurse that is consistent with the scope of the nurse's licensure.
2. The New Jersey Board of Nursing shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to carry out the purposes of this act.
3. The act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Board of Nursing (board), in conjunction with schools of nursing approved by the board, to establish a Nursing Scribe Program. Under the program, the board is directed to authorize schools of nursing approved by the board to grant academic credit to a nursing student enrolled in the school for the successful completion of a nurse scribe course. At a minimum, the course is to: (1) provide training and instruction in electronic medical records documentation and unit workflows, medical terminology, the applicable provisions of the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," and the principles of medical billing, coding, and reimbursement; and (2) require the student to complete practicum hours, in an amount determined appropriate by the board, providing nurse scribe services
The bill defines "nurse scribe services" to mean the provision of documentation assistance provided to a nurse licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing regarding a patient's encounter with the nurse that is consistent with the scope of the nurse's licensure.
It is the sponsor's belief that the provisions of the bill will help support and grow the workforce of nurses in the State. Under the bill, student nurses will gain valuable experience working alongside experienced professionals in the field, while existing nurses will receive much needed clerical assistance, thereby allowing them to focus more on the clinic aspects of their roles and alleviating some of the workload strain challenging nurses since the COVID-19 pandemic.
