New Law to Take Effect July 1, 2015

Posted in Latest News on June 26, 2015.

Chapter 2015-111, Laws of Florida: Psychiatric Nurses

The new law redefines “psychiatric nurse” [as used in Chapter 394, Florida Statutes; The Baker Act] as a certified advanced registered nurse practitioner, instead of a registered nurse, who holds a national advanced practice certification as a psychiatric mental health advanced practice nurse. The bill retains requirements for a psychiatric nurse to hold a master’s or doctoral degree in psychiatric nursing, and complete two years of post-master’s clinical experience under a physician’s supervision.

The bill authorizes a psychiatric nurse, who performs within the framework of an established protocol with a psychiatrist, to:

  • Examine a patient upon admission to a receiving facility; and
  • Approve a patient to be discharged from a receiving facility if the facility is owned or operated by a hospital or health system.

The bill prohibits a psychiatric nurse from approving a patient to be discharged if an involuntary examination of the patient was initiated by a psychiatrist, unless the discharge is approved by that psychiatrist.



More Latest News

Florida Nursing Quarterly – Vol. 10 Issue 1
March 4, 2024

The latest issue of the Florida Nursing Quarterly
is now available. Continue reading


Board of Nursing Meeting
February 2, 2024

The agenda for the upcoming March 4, 2024, Board Meeting has been published. You may locate the agenda by visiting https://floridasnursing.gov/meeting-information/upcoming-meetings/. Thank you, Florida Board of Nursing