Alabama Administrative Code

The registered nurse or licensed practical nurse shall: (1) Have knowledge and understanding of the laws and rules regulating nursing. (2) Function within the legal scope of nursing practice. (3) Obtain instruction and supervision as necessary, when implementing new or unfamiliar…

(1) The practice of professional nursing includes the performance, for compensation, of any act in the care and counselling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process which includes systematic data …

(1) The practice of practical nursing includes the performance, for compensation, of acts designed to promote and maintain health, prevent illness and injury, and provide care utilizing standardized procedures and the nursing process, including administering medications and treat…

(1) The standards for documentation of nursing care provided to patients by licensed nurses are based on principles of documentation, regardless of the documentation format. (2) Documentation of nursing care shall be: (a) Legible. (b) Accurate. (c) Complete. Complete documentatio…

(1) The registered nurse or licensed practical nurse shall have applied knowledge of medication administration and safety, including but not limited to:(a) Drug action. (b) Classifications. (c) Expected therapeutic benefit of medication. (d) Expected monitoring. (e) Indications b…

(1) After a patient assessment and verification of the physical presence of a physician, dentist, or certified registered nurse anesthetist and licensed or unlicensed assistive personnel in the procedural area, the registered nurse may administer ordered medications for the purpo…

(1) Patient assessment shall be provided in accordance with the definitions of professional nursing and practical nursing, as defined in the Alabama Nurse Practice Act, Section 34-21-1. (2) The registered nurse shall conduct and document comprehensive and focused nursing assessme…

(1) The licensed nurse may receive handwritten, verbal, or electronic medical orders from the legally authorized prescriber relayed by another licensed or registered health care professional, or registered or certified medical assistant. (2) The licensed nurse may implement appro…

(1) The registered nurse shall be accountable and responsible for the assignment of nursing activities and tasks to other health care workers based on, but not limited to: (a) Knowledge, skills, and experience. (b) Complexity of assigned tasks. (c) Health status of the patient. (…

(1) For practice beyond basic education that has not been previously approved by the Board, a standardized procedure is required for the licensed nurse in any practice setting. (a) Approval is not required for an acute care hospital prior to implementation, except for standardize…

(1) It is within the scope of a licensed nurse practice to perform wound assessments, including but not limited to staging of a wound and making determinations as to whether wounds are present on admission to a healthcare facility, pursuant to an approved standardized procedure, …

(1) A licensed facility may develop a standardized procedure, as defined in Rule 610-X-6-.12, for intravenous (IV) therapy by a licensed practical nurse. (2) The minimum requirements for a licensed practical nurse to perform IV therapy includes successful completion of an organiz…

(1) The licensed nurse may receive pronouncement of a patient's death from a physician via telecommunication without a physical examination of the patient by that physician. (2) The facility policy shall specify the permissible patient conditions for which the licensed nurse in a…

(1) The licensed nurse must hold an active Alabama license or multistate license issued by a party state other than Alabama, as defined in Chapter 4 of these rules, in order to practice telenursing in the State of Alabama. The licensed nurse shall adhere to the existing Alabama N…

(1) Delegation: The act of authorizing a competent individual to perform selected nursing activities supportive to licensed nurses in selected situations while retaining the accountability for the outcome if the delegation is to an unlicensed individual. (2) Medication Assistant,…

(1) The school nurse is accountable and responsible for the nursing care delivered to students under the nurse's jurisdiction. (2) Over-the-counter (OTC) medications may be administered to school children by the school nurse with a parent's written authorization and without a phy…

(1) Registered nurses employed by the State of Alabama Independent Living (SAIL) Program administered by the Department of Rehabilitation Services may delegate tasks to a patient's designated caregiver if each of the following conditions is met: (a) The Department of Rehabilitati…

(1) The registered nurse may function as a surgical first assistant according to standardized procedures, as defined in Rule 610-X-6-.12. The RNFA has the duty to verify that standardized procedures are in effect before performing the functions of a surgical first assistant. (2) …

(1) A registered nurse may practice as a SANE with appropriate additional education, including supervised clinical practice and demonstrated clinical competence. (2) The educational program for a SANE shall comply with the education standards of the International Association of F…

(1) Alabama Department of Mental Health shall train licensed nurses by the Alabama Department of Mental Health approved nurse delegation programs: Program (NDP) and the Medication Administration Supervisor (MAS). Licensed nurses who are MAS trained are accountable and responsible…

(1) Registered nurses and certified registered nurse practitioners may administer the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Standard Medical questionnaire. (2) Registered nurses and certified registered nurse practitioners may refer for further evaluati…

Registered nurses are authorized to perform the one-hour, face-to-face evaluation for patients placed in behavioral restraint or seclusion, if the facility has a policy and procedure and organized program of study. Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-7-.08 Adopted by Alabama Administ…

The assessment of applicants for commercial driver licenses is restricted to family, adult, acute care, gerontology, adult gerontology primary care, and adult gerontology acute care certified registered nurse practitioners. Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-7-.09 Adopted by Alabama…

(1) DEFINITIONS (a) Glucagon: a hormone that raises the level of glucose in the blood and is administered by injection to individuals to treat severe hypoglycemia that is indicated by the inability to eat food or drink, unconsciousness, unresponsiveness and/or seizures or convuls…

Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-7-.11 Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 09, June 30, 2020, eff. 8/14/2020. Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 05, February 26, 2021, eff. 4/12/2021. Repealed by Alabama Administrative…

(1) A licensed nurse may delegate selected nursing activities supportive to licensed nurses to nursing students currently enrolled in approved schools of nursing, or to graduates of approved schools of nursing who have not achieved licensure as nurses, and employed as nursing aid…

(1) A licensed nurse may delegate administration of medications for purposes of vaccinations to emergency medical technicians who have been authorized by the Alabama Department of Public Health to receive delegation of vaccine administration. (2) A nurse who is a member of the Al…

(1) Definitions (a) Adrenal Insufficiency. Adrenal Insufficiency is a hormonal disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones. Adrenal Insufficiency is a chronic condition requiring the student to take daily medications. (b) Adrenal Crisis: Adrenal Cr…

1. Abandonment: Acceptance of a patient assignment, thus establishing a nurse-patient relationship or permitteepatient relationship, and then ending the nurse-patient relationship or permittee-patient relationship without giving reasonable notice to supervisory personnel so that …

The Board may, upon licensure, reprimand, fine, place on probation with conditions for continued practice, suspend, require the evaluation of, impose continuing education requirements upon, and/or otherwise discipline the holder of any license, permit, certificate or approval iss…

The Board may deny the renewal or reinstatement application of, reprimand, fine, place on probation with conditions for continued practice, suspend, require the evaluation of, impose continuing education requirements upon, revoke and/ or otherwise discipline the holder of any lic…

1. Upon self-disclosure or receipt of a written complaint alleging that an applicant for or holder of any license, permit, certificate or approval issued by the Board or a holder of multistate licensure privilege has violated a statute or rule by committing one or more of the act…

The Board or its authorized designee shall have the power to act on the report of the investigation as follows: 1. Dismiss a complaint with a letter of closure or a letter of admonishment. 2. Commence disciplinary proceedings through pursuit of informal disposition in accordance …

The Alabama Board of Nursing hereby adopts by reference as its rules Sections 12 through 21 of Chapter 22, Title 41, Code of Ala. 1975, as amended, governing contested cases, appeals, and related proceedings unless inconsistent with Section 34-21-25 or Chapter 610-X-8. Notes Ala.…

1. At least twenty days prior to the administrative hearing, an administrative complaint shall be served on the applicant for or holder of the license, permit, approval, certificate, or multistate licensure privilege, continuing education provider, or nursing education program as…

(1) Complaints or controversies may be considered and resolved by the Board or Board designee through alternative dispute resolution, informal conferences, meetings, or other informal means. Such shall be held without prejudice to the right of the Board thereafter to institute fo…

1. Based upon the evidence presented at the administrative hearing or pursuant to informal disposition, the Board may take one or more of the following actions: a. Dismiss the administrative complaint in its entirety or any alleged violation in the complaint. b. Find the responde…

1. Application for a license, permit, certificate, or approval following denial of the license, permit, certificate, or approval, shall: a. Include evidence of rehabilitation, or elimination or resolution of any issues that were identified in the Board's most recent order as reas…

1. Application for reinstatement of a revoked license, permit, approval, or certificate may be made twelve months after the effective date of revocation unless otherwise specified in Order or Agreement. 2. Applications for reinstatement of a revoked license, permit, certificate o…

1. Application for reinstatement of a board-lapsed license, permit, certificate or approval may be made at any time after the effective date of the Order that resulted in the Board-Lapsed license, permit, certificate or approval, unless otherwise specified in the Order. 2. Applic…

1. Non-disciplinary administrative penalties not to exceed $1,000.00 (one-thousand dollars) per violation may be imposed for the following violations of Title 34, Chapter 21 of the Code of Alabama: a. Practicing on a lapsed registered nurse license, licensed practical nurse licen…

(1) The applicant for approval to practice as a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall have: (a) An active registered nurse license issued by Alabama or a multistate registered nurse license issued by a party state, as defined in Chapter 4 of these rules. Initial applicants…

The applicant for approval to practice as a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall submit to the Board: (1) A completed application and the required fee(s). (2) An official transcript of education for advanced practice nursing as a nurse anesthetist that indicates the date …

(1) The Board of Nursing may grant approval for advanced practice nursing as certified registered nurse anesthetists to applicants who meet the requirements of Chapter 610-X-9-.01 and .02. (2) Only those registered nurses whose credentials have current approval from the Board may…

The certified registered nurse anesthetist shall practice in accordance with the standards, scope of practice, and guidelines developed by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, congruent with Alabama law. Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-9-.04 Filed September 29, 1982. A…

(1) An Alabama-licensed registered nurse who meets the requirements of rule 610-X-9-.01 and .02, and who has applied for initial certification may request Provisional Approval for practice as a graduate nurse anesthetist by submitting: (a) Official evidence of authorization to te…

(1) Certified registered nurse anesthetists, as defined by statute and regulation, shall submit to the board, immediately upon receipt: (a) Evidence of current national certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, or other certi…

(1) Lapsed approval as a certified registered nurse anesthetist may be reinstated upon submission of a completed application and compliance with the following: (a) An active Alabama registered nurse license or a multistate registered nurse license issued by a party state, as defi…

(1) An applicant for approval to practice as a clinical nurse specialist shall have: (a) An active Alabama registered nurse license or a multistate registered nurse license issued by a party state, as defined in Chapter 4 of these rules. Initial applicants shall have an active re…

(1) The Board of Nursing may grant approval for advanced practice nursing as a clinical nurse specialist to applicants who meet the requirements of Chapter 610-X-9-.07 and .08. (2) Only those registered nurses whose credentials have been approved by the Board may hold themselves …