What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.364
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.294
- Substituted for A826
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 58–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.1250
- Reported and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
Show 1 earlier action
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to certification as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Barbara Lifton
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S3145
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to certification as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
Purpose
The purpose of this legislation is to establish certification for clinical nurse specialists and to protect the title "clinical nurse specialist" and the designation "CNS" to ensure that only those properly educated and prepared to be clinical nurse specialists hold themselves out as such.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the education law by establishing criteria for certification as a clinical nurse specialist, including application filing, license requirements, education and certification fees. Establishes that only certified persons may use the title "clinical nurse specialist".
Section 2 establishes special provisions regarding existing laws, rules, regulations or certification standards. Additionally, the provisions of this bill will not apply to any registered nurse activity already authorized by statute, rule or regulation as defined in article 28 of the public health law.
Section 3 authorizes the commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations.
Section 4 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Protecting the title of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) is necessary to maintain safe patient care and to ensure that only those who are properly educated and qualified are performing CNS services. Competencies for CNS practice have been nationally validated and recognized. CNS practice has demonstrated better patient outcomes with fewer patient complications, decreased re-admission rates and cost savings. This has been established in peer-reviewed literature.
With the health care environment growing increasingly complex due to new technologies and treatment modalities, title protection for CNS is essential for the public's protection. CNS play an essential role in providing high quality, evidence-based care. CNS function in a wide range of specialty areas including oncology, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychiatric/mental health, adult health, critical care and community, health. The CNS role includes direct care to complex patients; mentoring and consultation to nursing staff; research; management and systems improvements. All of these functions are geared toward optimizing the use of evidence-based practices and improved patient outcomes.
Providing title protection for these professionals will enable the state to identify those nurses who have been properly educated to provide specialized care and will prohibit health care facilities from inappropriately utilizing unqualified persons in the CNS role. This bill will also help ensure that unqualified individuals do not present themselves as CNS. Enacting this legislation will authorize the State Education Department to investigate claims of unlicensed practice and will enable the Department to better protect the public from professional misconduct. Currently, 38 other states provide title protection for CNS.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 365th day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.