§ 14111.5

(a) As permitted by federal law or regulations, for health care services provided in a long-term health care facility that are reimbursed under this chapter, a nurse practitioner may, to the extent consistent with his or her scope of practice, perform any of the following tasks otherwise required of a physician and surgeon:

(1) With respect to visits required by federal law or regulations, making alternating visits, or more frequent visits if the physician and surgeon is not available.

(2) Any duty or task that is consistent with federal and state law or regulation within the scope of practice of nurse practitioners, so long as all of the following conditions are met:

(A) A physician and surgeon approves, in writing, the admission of the individual to the facility.

(B) The medical care of each resident is supervised by a physician and surgeon.

(C) A physician and surgeon performs the initial visit and alternate required visits.

(b) This section does not authorize benefits not otherwise authorized by federal or state law or regulation.

(c) All responsibilities undertaken by a nurse practitioner pursuant to this section shall be performed in collaboration with the physician and surgeon and pursuant to a standardized procedure among the physician and surgeon, nurse practitioner, and facility.

(d) Except as provided in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, any task that is required by federal law or regulation to be performed personally by a physician may be delegated to a nurse practitioner who is not an employee of the long-term health care facility.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the authority of a long-term health care facility to hire and employ nurse practitioners so long as that employment is consistent with federal law and with the scope of practice of a nurse practitioner.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 91, Sec. 186. Effective January 1, 1996.)