Pennsylvania Act 2012-35 — PROFESSIONAL NURSING LAW - USE OF TITLE

Act text

Session of 2012

No. 2012-35

HB 470

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 use of title.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 3 of the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law, amended July 20, 2007 (P.L.320, No.49), is amended to read:

Section 3. Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Use of Title and Abbreviation "R.N." or "C.N.S."; Credentials; Fraud.--(a) Any person who holds a license to practice professional nursing in this Commonwealth, or who is maintained on inactive status in accordance with section 11 of this act, shall have the right to use the [title] titles "nurse" and "registered nurse" and the abbreviation "R.N." No other person shall engage in the practice of professional nursing or use the [title] titles "nurse" or "registered nurse" or the abbreviation "R.N." to indicate that the person using the same is a registered nurse[.] , except that the title "nurse" also may be used by a person licensed under the provisions of the act of March 2, 1956 (1955 P.L.1211, No.376) , known as the "Practical Nurse Law." No person shall sell or fraudulently obtain or fraudulently furnish any nursing diploma, license, record, or registration or aid or abet therein.

(b) An individual who holds a license to practice professional nursing in this Commonwealth who meets the requirements under sections 6.2 and 8.5 of this act to be a clinical nurse specialist shall have the right to use the title "clinical nurse specialist" and the abbreviation "C.N.S." No other person shall have that right.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), this section shall not prohibit the use by a person of a descriptive title for nurse assistive personnel. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "nurse assistive personnel" shall mean an individual providing health care services under the supervision of a professional or practical nurse.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 8th day of May, A.D. 2012.

TOM CORBETT