Sec. 20-90. Duties of board.

(a) Said board may adopt a seal. The Commissioner of Public Health, with advice and assistance from the board, and in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, permitting and setting standards for courses for the training of practical nurses to be offered in high schools or by the Technical Education and Career System for students who have not yet acquired a high school diploma. Students who satisfactorily complete courses approved by said Board of Examiners for Nursing, with the consent of the Commissioner of Public Health, as meeting such standards shall be given credit for each such course toward the requirements for a practical nurse's license. All schools of nursing in this state, except such schools accredited by the National League for Nursing or other professional accrediting association approved by the United States Department of Education and recognized by the Commissioner of Public Health, and all schools for training licensed practical nurses and all hospitals connected to such schools that prepare persons for examination under the provisions of this chapter, shall be visited periodically by a representative of the Department of Public Health who shall be a registered nurse or a person experienced in the field of nursing education. The board shall keep a list of all nursing programs and all programs for training licensed practical nurses that are approved by it, with the consent of the Commissioner of Public Health, as maintaining the standard for the education of nurses and the training of licensed practical nurses as established by the commissioner. The board shall consult, where possible, with nationally recognized accrediting agencies when approving schools.

(b) Said board shall (1) hear and decide matters concerning suspension or revocation of licensure, (2) adjudicate complaints filed against practitioners licensed under this chapter and impose sanctions where appropriate.

(1949 Rev., S. 4426; 1953, S. 2215d; 1971, P.A. 472; P.A. 73-115, S. 1; P.A. 75-166, S. 3, 6; P.A. 77-614, S. 73, 388, 610; P.A. 80-484, S. 30, 176; P.A. 81-471, S. 23, 71; P.A. 90-13, S. 9; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 03-252, S. 10; P.A. 12-116, S. 87; P.A. 17-237, S. 100.)

History: 1971 act added provisions re practical nurses' training in high schools and vocational schools; P.A. 73-115 required that list of approved nursing programs rather than of nursing schools be kept by board of examiners; P.A. 75-166 changed quorum from four to three members and number of members requesting special meetings from two to three and added provision limiting voting privilege of licensed practical nurse members to matters pertaining to licensed practical nurses; P.A. 77-614 replaced public works commissioner with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, deleted provisions re election of president and secretary/treasurer, re board's power to adopt bylaws and regulations for its operation and re limitation on voting privileges of licensed practical nurse members, changed number of members required for quorum and for calling special meeting to six and five, respectively, transferred power to make regulations re nursing programs standards from board to health services commissioner, retaining board in advisory capacity and required that nursing schools be visited yearly by health services department representative rather than by educational director of board or registered nurse appointed by the board; P.A. 80-484 deleted provisions re number of members required for quorum or calling of special meeting and re provision of meeting room by administrative services commissioner, required commissioner's consent for approval of courses and programs by board, required board to consult with recognized accrediting agencies and added Subsec. (b) re board's power to hear disciplinary matters and adjudicate complaints; P.A. 81-471 changed time for department of health services visits to nursing schools from once per year to “periodically”; P.A. 90-13 amended Subsec. (a) to except schools accredited by the National League for Nursing from requirement that health services department representative visit nursing schools periodically; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 03-252 made technical changes in Subsec. (a); pursuant to P.A. 12-116, “vocational schools” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “technical high schools” in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 17-237 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “and technical high schools” with “or by the Technical Education and Career System”, effective July 1, 2017.