Laws Protecting the Title "Nurse" (2007)

Protecting the Title Nurse

Background
ANA has been working with State Nurses Associations through its Nationwide State Legislative Agenda to promote state legislation that protects the title nurse. This legislation amends state nurse practice acts, which outline licensure requirements of nurses including entry requirements, practice standards and codes of conduct. The intent of licensure requirements is to protect the public against unethical, unscrupulous and incompetent practitioners. The regulation of nurses offers some assurance to the public that a nurse is competent to provide services in an effective and safe way. The intent of protecting the title nurse is to protect the public from individuals who are not nurses, yet deceitfully lead the public to believe they are nurses and are able to provide certain services that only nurses are qualified to provide.

Activities/Actions
In 2006,"title protection" legislation was passed in both NYand CO. NYamends education law, prohibiting anyone from using the title "nurse" or any other title or abbreviation that would represent to the public that the individual is authorized to practice nursing unless otherwise authorized by statute, while CO legislation makes the unauthorized practice of nursing and other professions a class 2 misdemeanor for the first offense and a class 6 felony for a second or subsequent offense.

Legislation that protects the title nurse has now been enacted in 19 states including: AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, KY, ID, MD, MN, NE, NM, NY, NC, ND, RI, SC, TN, TX, WA, and WI.

ANA article lists specific language:
Laws Protecting the Title "Nurse" (2007) Map (2007)


Advance for Nurses:
Professional Vulnerability
Strengthening nursing’s image will garner RNs greater respect inside and outside the clinical setting.
Gina M. Bright, PhD, RN, OCN