Assembly Bill 890

AB-890 Nurse practitioners: scope of practice: practice without standardized procedures.

With the passage of AB 890 the Nurse Practitioner may be able to practice independently once certain provisions have been met. All Nurse Practitioners will not meet the provisions outlined within AB 890 by January 1, 2023. Until those conditions are met, the Nurse Practitioner will continue to operate using Standardized Procedures, the mechanism for Nurse Practitioners to perform functions which would be considered the practice of medicine.

Per the statutory requirement in Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 2837.103 (a)(1)(D), the transition to practice must include a minimum of three (3) full-time equivalent years of practice or 4600 hours. Upon completion of the transition to practice, a nurse practitioner may practice in limited settings or organizations in which one or more physicians and surgeons practice with the nurse practitioner without standardized procedures.

Additionally, in order for a nurse practitioner to expand their practice outside of those settings, a nurse practitioner must practice within the limits of their knowledge, experience, and national certification and have practiced in good standing for at least three (3) years after meeting the requirements to transition to practice. Furthermore, a nurse practitioner who is practicing outside of the limited settings outlined in BPC section 2837.103 shall consult and collaborate with other healing arts providers based on the clinical condition of the patient to whom health care is provided and establish a plan for referral of complex medical cases and emergencies to a physician and surgeon or other appropriate healing arts providers.

The Board is interested in moving forward with its duties to implement the bill efficiently and thoughtfully. Though the exact timeframes are not certain nor guaranteed, the Board expects that it will be able to take the necessary steps required by the legislature for implementation of AB 890 on or before January 1, 2023.