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2007 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Education and Health
Subcommittee Health Professions

Martin (Chairman), Lambert, Lucas, Rerras

Clerk: Patty Lung, Jocelyn Lance
Staff: Jessica Eades, Brenda Edwards
Date of Meeting: January 18, 2007
Time and Place: 1/2 hr. after Session, 3rd Fl. E Conf. Room, GAB

S.B. 872 Nursing, Board of; continuing education requirements for nurses.

Patron: McDougle

Board of Nursing; continuing education requirements for nurses.  Directs the Board of Nursing to enact regulations requiring registered and practical nurses to complete continuing education programs in order to renew their licenses.

S.B. 980 Physician assistants; extends therpeutic activities they may perform under supervision.

Patron: Edwards

Supervision of physician assistants.  Expands the therapeutic activities that licensed physician assistants may perform under the supervision of a licensed physician or podiatrist to include treatment. The bill prohibits physician assistants from prescribing or dispensing drugs, except prescriptive authority authorized for licensed physician assistants pursuant to § 54.1-2952.1.

S.B. 1305 Health professions; direct access to physical therapists.

Patron: Newman

Health professions; direct access to physical therapists. Allows patients to seek treatment from a licensed physical therapist, who also holds a certain certificate, without a referral when the following conditions are met: (i) the patient, at the time of presentation to a physical therapist, is not under the care of a physician; (ii) the patient identifies a practitioner from whom he intends to seek treatment if his condition does not improve; (iii) the patient gives written consent for the physical therapist to release all relevant personal health information and treatment records to the identified practitioner; and (iv) the physical therapist notifies the identified practitioner no later than three days after treatment commences and provides the practitioner with a copy of the initial evaluation along with a copy of the patient history obtained by the physical therapist. The bill also contains requirements for a certificate allowing physical therapists to provide such services.

S.B. 1324 Practice of nursing by emergency medical services personnel.

Patron: Cuccinelli

Practice of nursing by emergency medical services personnel.  Authorizes licensed paramedics to engage in the practice of professional nursing, and to perform the duties associated with the practice of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. Exempts licensed paramedics from the licensure requirements applicable to nurses.