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FAQ on SB 31: Office of Professional Licensure Review Amendments

Posted about 2 hours ago

Summary: SB 31 proposes changes to how several professional licensures are reviewed and regulated in Utah.

Relevance: APRNs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Nurse Practitioners) are among those who will be affected by the proposed changes.

For APRNs, the bill lays out:

  • A requirement for a minimum number of hours of experience as a registered nurse prior to nurse practitioner licensure (6000 hours)
  • Implies consent to an immediate mental or physical examination when directed by the majority of the board of nursing upon finding reasonable cause
  • An increase in prescriptive authority for CRNAs

Regardless of differing viewpoints, we encourage all members to review this bill carefully and to communicate with their elected representatives as they see fit. The proposed provisions have direct implications for our practice, and informed awareness and engagement by our membership are important.

We encourage all to get in touch with your legislators using this tool:

le.utah.gov/default.asp?ct=legislators

Arguments Supporting the Bill

Arguments Against the Bill
  • Does not explicitly reduce Utah’s full practice authority
  • Under the Nurse Practice Act, NPs can still practice independently without physician supervision or collaboration
  • Strengthens public perception of NP training by addressing concerns about clinical readiness
  • Standardizes clinical hours prior to program entry, similar to physician assistants
  • May make NP autonomy more defensible politically
    • Maintains independence while adding experience requirements
  • CRNAs get clearer prescriptive authority
  • Increases barriers for NP program entry during a time of population growth but stagnating physician and physician assistant numbers
  • May set a precedence for adding future limitations to Utah’s full practice authority
  • Implies consent for physical and mental health examination not seen in the Medical Practice Act or Physician Assistants Practice Act
  • No studies correlate a minimum number of RN hours with NP competency; passing board certification demonstrates competency
  • Some feel the bill misses the core problem with its experience requirements:
    • It does not standardize NP clinical hours, as it focuses on RN experience
    • It does not regulate NP program variability. Concerns for online programs are present, but most online programs are based outside of Utah.