38-2322. Nurse practitioner; licensed on or before August 30, 2015; requirements; transition-to-practice agreement; contents.

(1)(a) A transition-to-practice agreement shall be a formal written agreement that provides that the nurse practitioner and the supervising provider practice collaboratively within the framework of their respective scopes of practice.

(b) The nurse practitioner and the supervising provider shall each be responsible for his or her individual decisions in managing the health care of patients through consultation, collaboration, and referral. The nurse practitioner and the supervising provider shall have joint responsibility for the delivery of health care to a patient based upon the scope of practice of the nurse practitioner and the supervising provider.

(c) The supervising provider shall be responsible for supervision of the nurse practitioner to ensure the quality of health care provided to patients.

(d) In order for a nurse practitioner to be a supervising provider for purposes of a transition-to-practice agreement, the nurse practitioner shall submit to the department evidence of completion of ten thousand hours of practice as a nurse practitioner which have been completed under a transition-to-practice agreement, under a collaborative agreement, under an integrated practice agreement, through independent practice, or under any combination of such agreements or practice, as allowed in this state or another state.

(2) A nurse practitioner who was licensed in good standing in Nebraska on or before August 30, 2015, and had attained the equivalent of an initial two thousand hours of practice supervised by a physician or osteopathic physician shall be allowed to practice without a transition-to-practice agreement.

(3) For purposes of this section:

(a) Supervising provider means a physician, osteopathic physician, or nurse practitioner licensed and practicing in Nebraska and practicing in the same practice specialty, related specialty, or field of practice as the nurse practitioner being supervised; and

(b) Supervision means the ready availability of the supervising provider for consultation and direction of the activities of the nurse practitioner being supervised within such nurse practitioner's defined scope of practice.

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