Bill Text: PA HB1611 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for definitions; and providing for psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-06-02 - Referred to PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE [HB1611 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB1611-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1994
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1611 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY GIBBONS, BRIGGS, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, COHEN, FABRIZIO, FARRY, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, HARKINS, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, MURPHY, MURT, PYLE, SANTONI AND STURLA, JUNE 2, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, JUNE 2, 2011
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), entitled, as
amended, "An act relating to the practice of professional
nursing; providing for the licensing of nurses and for the
revocation and suspension of such licenses, subject to
appeal, and for their reinstatement; providing for the
renewal of such licenses; regulating nursing in general;
prescribing penalties and repealing certain laws," further
providing for definitions and providing for psychiatric
mental health clinical nurse specialist.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2 of the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317,
No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law, is amended by
adding clauses to read:
Section 2. Definitions.--When used in this act, the
following words and phrases shall have the following meanings
unless the context provides otherwise:
* * *
(16) "Consultation" means interaction between a psychiatric
mental health clinical nurse specialist (PMHCNS) and another
member of the health care team for the purpose of transmitting
or obtaining information, advice or referral.
(17) "Mental health diagnoses" means the use of advanced
professional nursing knowledge and skills in the identification
of and discrimination between physical and psychological signs
and symptoms, selecting those disorders from the most recent
version of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders that best reflect the signs and symptoms that are
afflicting the individual being evaluated to arrive at a
conclusion for which advanced nursing care is indicated or
referral to appropriate medical or community resources is
required.
(18) "Psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist
(PMHCNS)" means a registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth
who is certified as a clinical nurse specialist under this act
and authorized or certified by the State Board of Nursing as a
psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist.
Section 2. Section 8.6 of the act, added July 20, 2007
(P.L.320, No.49), is amended to read:
Section 8.6. Scope of Practice for Clinical Nurse Specialist
and for Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist.--
(a) Nothing in this act shall permit a clinical nurse
specialist to engage in the practice of medicine or surgery as
defined in the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known
as the "Medical Practice Act of 1985"; perform acts of medical
diagnosis; or prescribe medical therapeutic or corrective
measures. The restrictions in this subsection apply to both
physical and mental disorders.
(b) Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit or
prohibit a clinical nurse specialist from engaging in those
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activities which normally constitute the practice of nursing,
including a nursing diagnosis, as defined in section 2.
(c) A psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist
(PMHCNS) while functioning in the expanded role as a clinical
nurse specialist (CNS) shall practice within the scope of
practice of the particular clinical specialty area in which the
nurse is certified by the board.
(d) In addition to existing authority prescribed in
subsections (a) and (b), a PMHCNS shall have the authority to do
all of the following:
(1) Establish a mental health diagnosis.
(2) Evaluate psychobiological interventions.
(3) Provide individual psychotherapy.
(4) Provide group psychotherapy.
(5) Provide marital or couple psychotherapy.
(6) Provide any therapy which purpose is to:
(i) Effect change in the client in an attempt to alleviate
emotional disturbances.
(ii) Reverse or change maladaptive behavior.
(iii) Facilitate personality growth and development.
(7) Provide consultation to health care providers and to
others:
(i) Influence the plans of care for clients.
(ii) Enhance the abilities of others to provide behavioral,
psychiatric and mental health care.
(iii) Effect change in systems.
(8) Provide behavioral rehabilitation care.
(9) Utilize advanced practice skills to independently
provide:
(i) Case management including behavioral rehabilitation at
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home care.
(ii) Health teaching, health promotion, health prevention
and aid to the client in developing healthy patterns of living.
(10) Perform mental disability assessments.
(11) Develop and manage programs to meet the mental health
needs of a population or to target a population at risk for
developing mental health problems.
(12) Provide clinical supervision to other PMHCNS and other
registered nurses.
(13) Provide crisis intervention and make referrals as
appropriate.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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