Assembly Bill No. 349–Assemblymen Ohrenschall, Claborn and Buckley

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to older persons; requiring the Board of Medical Examiners and the State Board of Nursing to encourage licensees who treat or care for persons who are more than 60 years of age to receive continuing education in geriatrics and gerontology; removing the limitation on the number of hearings that the Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum may hold; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

    Section 1. NRS 427A.380 is hereby amended to read as

 follows:

    427A.380  1.  The Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum

 may, within the limits of legislative appropriations and any gifts,

 grants or donations received by the Forum:

    [1.] (a) During the period in which the Legislature is not in a

 regular session, hold three public hearings in three different areas of

 this state and may hold [an additional public hearing] additional

 public hearings in any area of this state . [to prepare the report

 authorized by NRS 427A.390.

    2.  Comply]

    (b) During the period in which the Legislature is in a regular

 session, meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of the

 Forum.

    (c) Form committees, which may meet as often as necessary to

 conduct the business of the Forum.

    2.  The Nevada Silver Haired Legislative Forum and its

 committees shall comply with the provisions of chapter 241 of

 NRS.

    Sec. 2.  NRS 630.253 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    630.253  1. The Board shall, as a prerequisite for the:

    [1.] (a) Renewal of a license as a physician assistant; or

    [2.] (b) Biennial registration of the holder of a license to

 practice medicine,

require each holder to comply with the requirements for continuing

 education adopted by the Board. These requirements may provide

 for the completion of one or more courses of instruction relating to

 risk management in the performance of medical services.

    2.  The Board shall encourage each holder of a license who

 treats or cares for persons who are more than 60 years of age to

receive, as a portion of their continuing education, education in

geriatrics and gerontology, including such topics as:

    (a) The skills and knowledge that the licensee needs to address

 aging issues;

    (b) Approaches to providing health care to older persons,

 including both didactic and clinical approaches;

    (c) The biological, behavioral, social and emotional aspects of

 the aging process; and

    (d) The importance of maintenance of function and

 independence for older persons.

    Sec. 3.  NRS 632.343 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    632.343  1.  The Board shall not renew any license issued

 under this chapter until the licensee has submitted proof satisfactory

 to the Board of completion, during the 2-year period before renewal

 of the license, of 30 hours in a program of continuing education

 approved by the Board. The licensee is exempt from this provision

 for the first biennial period after graduation from:

    (a) An accredited school of professional nursing;

    (b) An accredited school of practical nursing;

    (c) An approved school of professional nursing in the process of

 obtaining accreditation; or

    (d) An approved school of practical nursing in the process of

 obtaining accreditation.

    2.  The Board shall review all courses offered to nurses for the

 completion of the requirement set forthin subsection 1. The Board

 may approve nursing and other courses which are directly related to

 the practice of nursing as well as others which bear a reasonable

 relationship to current developments in the field of nursing or any

 special area of practice in which a licensee engages. These may

 include academic studies, workshops, extension studies, home

 study and other courses.

    3.  The Board shall encourage each licensee who treats or

 cares for persons who are more than 60 years of age to receive, as

 a portion of their continuing education, education in geriatrics

 and gerontology, including such topics as:

    (a) The skills and knowledge that the licensee needs to address

 aging issues;

    (b) Approaches to providing health care to older persons,

 including both didactic and clinical approaches;

    (c) The biological, behavioral, social and emotional aspects of

 the aging process; and

    (d) The importance of maintenance of function and

 independence for older persons.

    Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

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