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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to clinical nurse specialists; amending s.

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464.0115, F.S.; revising requirements for certification as

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a clinical nurse specialist; providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 464.0115,

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Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (3) and (4),

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respectively, and a new subsection (2) is added to that section

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to read:

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     464.0115  Certification of clinical nurse specialists.--

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     (1)  Any nurse seeking certification as a clinical nurse

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specialist must apply to the department and submit proof that he

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or she holds a current license to practice professional nursing,

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a master's degree in a clinical nursing specialty, and current

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certification in a specialty area as a clinical nurse specialist

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from a nationally recognized certifying body as determined by the

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board.

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     (2) A clinical nurse specialist may petition the board for

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a waiver from the certification requirements of subsection (1) if

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the clinical nurse specialist is academically prepared as a

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clinical nurse specialist in a specialty area for which no

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certification examination exists within the clinical nurse

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specialist role. The board may determine that a clinical nurse

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specialist must obtain certification in an available specialty

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area in lieu of the specific specialty or subspecialty for which

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no certification examination exists. The petitioner must be

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academically prepared as a clinical nurse specialist in a

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specific specialty area of clinical nurse specialist practice,

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have a master's degree in nursing that includes clinical

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experience in that specialty area, and have 1,000 hours of

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supervised clinical experience in that specialty area, including

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a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical practice after

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graduation. The board may grant a nonrenewable certificate for no

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longer than 12 months for the supervised postgraduate clinical

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experience. The board may renew a waiver granted under this

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subsection for 2-year periods provided the clinical nurse

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specialist continues to be ineligible for certification as a

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clinical nurse specialist by an organization acceptable to the

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board.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.