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House bill allows advanced practice nurses to pronounce deaths in hospitals with medical director approval
Summary
House Bill 17-34, as amended, authorizes advanced practice registered nurses to pronounce deaths in hospital settings when permitted by a facility's medical director and when no other physician (other than an ER physician) is immediately available; committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill.
The Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee adopted an amendment and passed House Bill 17-34, which would permit advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to pronounce death in a hospital setting under specified conditions.
Representative Childress introduced the amendment and sponsor Representative Mayberry explained that the change allows medical staff (an APRN) to pronounce death when the facility's medical director authorizes it and when no other physician except an emergency department physician is immediately available. Sponsor and witnesses said the measure aims to avoid delays that can occur when an ER physician must leave the emergency room to sign out and travel to inpatient floors, potentially compromising emergency coverage and causing long waits to clear rooms that contain deceased patients.
Committee adopted the amendment, took no opposing public testimony and recorded a "do pass as amended."
