Sec. 20-101. Construction of chapter. Permitted practices. Temporary practice.

No provision of this chapter shall confer any authority to practice medicine or surgery nor shall this chapter prohibit any person from the domestic administration of family remedies or the furnishing of assistance in the case of an emergency; nor shall it be construed as prohibiting persons employed in state hospitals and state sanatoriums and subsidiary workers in general hospitals from assisting in the nursing care of patients if adequate medical and nursing supervision is provided; nor shall it be construed to prohibit the administration of medications by dialysis patient care technicians in accordance with section 19a-269a; nor shall it be construed to prohibit a personal care assistant employed by a homemaker-companion agency registered pursuant to section 20-671 from administering medications to a competent adult who directs his or her own care and makes his or her own decisions pertaining to assessment, planning and evaluation; nor shall it be construed as prohibiting students who are enrolled in schools of nursing approved pursuant to section 20-90, and students who are enrolled in schools for licensed practical nurses approved pursuant to section 20-90, from performing such work as is incidental to their respective courses of study; nor shall it prohibit a registered nurse who holds a master's degree in nursing or in a related field recognized for certification as either a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse anesthetist by one of the certifying bodies identified in section 20-94a from practicing for a period not to exceed one hundred twenty days after the date of graduation, provided such graduate advanced practice registered nurse is working in a hospital or other organization under the supervision of a licensed physician or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, such hospital or other organization has verified that the graduate advanced practice registered nurse has applied to sit for the national certification examination and the graduate advanced practice registered nurse is not authorized to prescribe or dispense drugs; nor shall it prohibit graduates of schools of nursing or schools for licensed practical nurses approved pursuant to section 20-90, from nursing the sick for a period not to exceed ninety calendar days after the date of graduation, provided such graduate nurses are working in hospitals or organizations where adequate supervision is provided, and such hospital or other organization has verified that the graduate nurse has successfully completed a nursing program. Upon notification that the graduate nurse has failed the licensure examination or that the graduate advanced practice registered nurse has failed the certification examination, all privileges under this section shall automatically cease. No provision of this chapter shall prohibit (1) any registered nurse who has been issued a temporary permit by the department, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 20-94, from caring for the sick pending the issuance of a license without examination; (2) any licensed practical nurse who has been issued a temporary permit by the department, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 20-97, from caring for the sick pending the issuance of a license without examination; (3) any qualified registered nurse or any qualified licensed practical nurse of another state from caring for a patient temporarily in this state for not longer than seventy-two hours, provided such nurse shall not represent or hold himself or herself out as a nurse licensed to practice in this state; (4) any qualified registered nurse or any qualified licensed practical nurse of another state from caring for a patient longer than seventy-two hours, provided such nurse (A) has been issued a temporary permit by the department, and (B) shall not represent or hold himself or herself out as a nurse licensed to practice in this state; (5) registered nurses or licensed practical nurses from other states from doing such nursing as is incident to their course of study when taking postgraduate courses in this state; or (6) nursing or care of the sick, with or without compensation or personal profit, in connection with the practice of the religious tenets of any church by adherents thereof, provided such persons shall not otherwise engage in the practice of nursing within the meaning of this chapter. This chapter shall not prohibit the care of persons in their homes by domestic servants, housekeepers, nursemaids, companions, attendants or household aides of any type, whether employed regularly or because of an emergency of illness, if such persons are not initially employed in a nursing capacity. This chapter shall not prohibit unlicensed assistive personnel from administering jejunostomy and gastrojejunal tube feedings to persons who (A) attend employment opportunities and day services provided by or under the jurisdiction of the Department of Developmental Services or respite centers under the jurisdiction of the Department of Developmental Services, (B) reside in residential facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Developmental Services, or (C) receive support under the jurisdiction of the Department of Developmental Services, when such feedings are performed by trained, unlicensed assistive personnel pursuant to the written order of a physician licensed under chapter 370, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-12d.

(1949 Rev., S. 4437; 1953, S. 2226d; 1957, P.A. 280, S. 1; P.A. 76-315, S. 4, 6; P.A. 80-484, S. 37, 176; P.A. 81-471, S. 26, 71; P.A. 85-46, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-207, S. 2; 88-362, S. 18, 22; P.A. 89-350, S. 20, 21; P.A. 90-13, S. 10; P.A. 04-221, S. 10; P.A. 05-66, S. 4; P.A. 06-195, S. 30; P.A. 10-117, S. 42; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 12; P.A. 15-242, S. 6; P.A. 17-9, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 76-315 stated that chapter shall not prevent nursing graduates from performance of duties pending examination results from other states; P.A. 80-484 required consent of health services commissioner for approval of postgraduate courses; P.A. 81-471 changed “certification” to “licensure” and provided that temporary permits are obtained from department instead of board; P.A. 85-46 deleted the requirement that postgraduate courses be approved by the nursing board with the consent of the commissioner of health services; P.A. 88-207 stated that chapter shall not prohibit any licensed nurse registered in another state or territory who has been issued a temporary permit from caring for the sick pending the issuance of a license without examination and made technical changes by removing references to examinations scheduled by the board in two places; P.A. 88-362 added the exceptions for licensed practical nurses who have been issued temporary permits; P.A. 89-350 added “nursing homes” as a place graduates of licensed practical nursing programs may work pending the results of the first examination scheduled following their graduation; P.A. 90-13 substituted references to nursing schools “approved pursuant to section 20-90” for references to “accredited” nursing schools; P.A. 04-221 included graduates of schools for licensed practical nurses, limited practice of nursing school graduates to 90 days after graduation and required hospital verification of such graduation, and provided that no nursing practice be allowed if examination is failed; P.A. 05-66 added provision re administration of medications by dialysis patient care technicians in accordance with Sec. 19a-269a; P.A. 06-195 added provisions allowing graduate advanced practice registered nurses to practice on a limited basis for up to 120 days after graduation, provided certain conditions are met, and terminating such temporary practice upon notification that the graduate advanced practice registered nurse has failed the certification examination, effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 10-117 added provision re chapter not prohibiting unlicensed assistive personnel from administering jejunostomy and gastrojejunal tube feedings to certain persons when performed pursuant to written order of a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 added provision re chapter not prohibiting personal care assistant employed by registered homemaker-companion agency from administering medications to a competent adult who directs his or her own care, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 15-242 designated existing provisions re registered nurses issued temporary permits being permitted to care for the sick as new Subdiv. (1), designated existing provisions re licensed practical nurses issued temporary permits being permitted to care for the sick as new Subdiv. (2), designated existing provisions re qualified registered nurses and qualified licensed practical nurses of another state being permitted to care for patient as new Subdiv. (3) and amended same to replace requirement that such nurses have been granted temporary permit with provision allowing them to care for patient not longer than 72 hours, added Subdiv. (4) re qualified registered nurses or qualified licensed practical nurses of another state caring for patient longer than 72 hours, designated existing provisions re registered nurses or licensed practical nurses from other states taking postgraduate courses as Subdiv. (5), designated existing provisions re nursing or care of the sick in connection with practice of religious tenets of any church as Subdiv. (6), redesignated existing Subdivs. (1) to (3) as Subparas. (A) to (C), and made technical changes; P.A. 17-9 replaced “day programs” with “employment opportunities and day services provided by or under the jurisdiction of the Department of Developmental Services” in Subdiv. (6)(A).