A. Except as otherwise provided in the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall use the title "nurse" unless the person is licensed or has been licensed in the past as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse under the Nursing Practice Act.

B. Except as otherwise provided in the Nursing Practice Act, unless licensed as a registered nurse under the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall:

(1) practice professional nursing;

(2) use the title "registered nurse", "professional nurse", "professional registered nurse" or the abbreviation "R.N." or any other abbreviation thereof or use any other title, abbreviation, letters, figures, signs or devices to indicate or imply that the person is a registered nurse; or

(3) engage in a nursing specialty as defined by the board.

C. Except as otherwise provided in the Nursing Practice Act, unless licensed as a licensed practical nurse under the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall:

(1) practice licensed practical nursing; or

(2) use the title "licensed practical nurse" or the abbreviation "L.P.N." or any other abbreviation thereof or use any other title, abbreviation, letters, figures, signs or devices to indicate or imply that the person is a licensed practical nurse.

D. Unless licensed as a certified nurse practitioner under the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall:

(1) practice as a certified nurse practitioner; or

(2) use the title "certified nurse practitioner" or the abbreviations "C.N.P." or "N.P." or any other title, abbreviation, letters, figures, signs or devices to indicate or imply that the person is a certified nurse practitioner.

E. Unless licensed as a certified registered nurse anesthetist under the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall:

(1) practice as a nurse anesthetist; or

(2) use the title "certified registered nurse anesthetist" or the abbreviation "C.R.N.A." or any other title, abbreviation, letters, figures, signs or devices to indicate or imply that the person is a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

F. Unless licensed as a clinical nurse specialist under the Nursing Practice Act, no person shall:

(1) practice as a clinical nurse specialist; or

(2) use the title "clinical nurse specialist" or the abbreviation "C.N.S." or any other title, abbreviation, letters, figures, signs or devices to indicate or imply that the person is a clinical nurse specialist.

G. No licensed nurse shall be prohibited from identifying himself or his licensure status.

History: 1953 Comp., § 67-2-4, enacted by Laws 1968, ch. 44, § 4; 1977, ch. 220, § 2; 1985, ch. 67, § 2; 1991, ch. 190, § 3; 1997, ch. 244, § 4; 2001, ch. 137, § 3; 2003, ch. 307, § 6.

The 2003 amendment, effective January 1, 2004, added "Except as otherwise provided in the Nursing Practice Act," at the beginning of Subsections A, B and C.

The 2001 amendment, effective June 15, 2001, inserted Subsection A and renumbered the remaining subsections accordingly.

The 1997 amendment, effective June 20, 1997, added Subsection F, inserted "or imply" near the end of Subsections A(2) and B(2), substituted "licensed" for "endorsed" throughout the section, and made minor stylistic changes.

The 1991 amendment, effective June 14, 1991, inserted " 'professional registered nurse' " in Paragraph (2) of Subsection A; inserted "licensed" in Paragraph (1) of Subsection B; substituted "endorsed" for "certified" in the introductory phrases in Subsections C and D; inserted "certified" in Paragraph (1) in Subsection C; and added Subsection E.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 61 Am. Jur. 2d Physicians, Surgeons and Other Healers § 26.

Revocability of license for fraud or other misconduct before or at time of its issuance, 165 A.L.R. 1138.

70 C.J.S. Physicians, Surgeons, and Other Health-Care Providers § 12.