Massachusetts § 80H - Nurse anesthetist; power to issue prescriptions and order tests and therapeutics

§ 80H. Nurse anesthetist; power to issue prescriptions and order tests and therapeutics

Section 80H. (a) A nurse anesthetist may issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics pursuant to guidelines mutually developed and agreed upon by the nurse anesthetist and a supervising nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or a supervising physician, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the board; provided, that supervision under this section by a supervising nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or by a physician shall be limited to written prescriptions and medication orders and the ordering of tests and therapeutics. A prescription issued by a nurse anesthetist under this subsection shall include the name of the supervising nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or the supervising physician with whom the nurse anesthetist mutually developed and agreed upon guidelines. Nothing in this section shall require a nurse anesthetist to obtain prescriptive authority to deliver anesthesia care, including the proper administration of the drugs or medicine necessary for the delivery of anesthesia care.

A nurse anesthetist shall have independent practice authority to issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics without the supervision described in this subsection if the nurse anesthetist has completed not less than 2 years of supervised practice following certification from a board-recognized certifying body; provided, that supervision of practice shall be conducted by a health care professional who meets minimum qualification criteria promulgated by the board, which shall include a minimum number of years of independent practice experience.

The board may allow a nurse anesthetist to exercise such independent practice authority upon satisfactory demonstration of alternative professional experience if the board determines that the nurse anesthetist has a demonstrated record of safe prescribing and good conduct consistent with professional licensure obligations required by each jurisdiction in which the nurse anesthetist has been licensed.

(b) The board shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.