Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 462
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-00540-26                                            2026462__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to autonomous practice by a certified
    3         registered nurse anesthetist; amending s. 395.0191,
    4         F.S.; revising requirements for clinical privileges
    5         for certain certified registered nurse anesthetists;
    6         amending s. 464.012, F.S.; authorizing certain
    7         certified registered nurse anesthetists to perform
    8         specified acts under certain circumstances; amending
    9         s. 464.0123, F.S.; authorizing certain autonomous
   10         advanced practice registered nurses to perform
   11         specified acts as part of their autonomous practice;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
   17  395.0191, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         395.0191 Staff membership and clinical privileges.—
   19         (2)
   20         (b) An advanced practice registered nurse who is certified
   21  as a registered nurse anesthetist licensed under part I of
   22  chapter 464 shall administer anesthesia under the onsite medical
   23  direction of a professional licensed under chapter 458, chapter
   24  459, or chapter 466, and in accordance with an established
   25  protocol approved by the medical staff. The medical direction
   26  shall specifically address the needs of the individual patient.
   27  This paragraph does not apply to an autonomous advanced practice
   28  registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123 who is certified
   29  as a registered nurse anesthetist licensed under part I of
   30  chapter 464; however, a facility may require a certified
   31  registered nurse anesthetist who is registered and practicing
   32  under s. 464.0123 to perform acts under an established protocol
   33  approved by the medical staff or the governing board of the
   34  facility.
   35         Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
   36  464.012, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   37         464.012 Licensure of advanced practice registered nurses;
   38  fees; controlled substance prescribing.—
   39         (4) In addition to the general functions specified in
   40  subsection (3), an advanced practice registered nurse may
   41  perform the following acts within his or her specialty:
   42         (b) A The certified registered nurse anesthetist may, to
   43  the extent authorized by an established protocol approved by the
   44  medical staff of the facility in which the anesthetic service is
   45  performed, or a certified registered nurse anesthetist who is
   46  registered and practicing under s. 464.0123 without an
   47  established protocol, may perform any or all of the following:
   48         1. Determine the health status of the patient as it relates
   49  to the risk factors and to the anesthetic management of the
   50  patient through the performance of the general functions.
   51         2. Based on history, physical assessment, and supplemental
   52  laboratory results, determine, with the consent of the
   53  responsible physician, the appropriate type of anesthesia under
   54  within the framework of the protocol, unless the certified
   55  registered nurse anesthetist is registered and practicing under
   56  s. 464.0123 without an established protocol.
   57         3. Order under the protocol preanesthetic medication under
   58  the protocol, unless the certified registered nurse anesthetist
   59  is registered and practicing under s. 464.0123 without an
   60  established protocol.
   61         4. Perform under the protocol procedures commonly used to
   62  render the patient insensible to pain during the performance of
   63  surgical, obstetrical, therapeutic, or diagnostic clinical
   64  procedures under the protocol, unless the certified registered
   65  nurse anesthetist is registered and practicing under s. 464.0123
   66  without an established protocol. These procedures include
   67  ordering and administering regional, spinal, and general
   68  anesthesia; inhalation agents and techniques; intravenous agents
   69  and techniques; and techniques of hypnosis.
   70         5. Order or perform monitoring procedures indicated as
   71  pertinent to the anesthetic health care management of the
   72  patient.
   73         6. Support life functions during anesthesia health care,
   74  including induction and intubation procedures, the use of
   75  appropriate mechanical supportive devices, and the management of
   76  fluid, electrolyte, and blood component balances.
   77         7. Recognize and take appropriate corrective action for
   78  abnormal patient responses to anesthesia, adjunctive medication,
   79  or other forms of therapy.
   80         8. Recognize and treat a cardiac arrhythmia while the
   81  patient is under anesthetic care.
   82         9. Participate in management of the patient while in the
   83  postanesthesia recovery area, including ordering the
   84  administration of fluids and drugs.
   85         10. Place special peripheral and central venous and
   86  arterial lines for blood sampling and monitoring as appropriate.
   87  
   88  A certified registered nurse anesthetist registered and
   89  practicing under s. 464.0123 without an established protocol may
   90  perform acts only authorized under part I of this chapter.
   91         Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
   92  464.0123, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   93         464.0123 Autonomous practice by an advanced practice
   94  registered nurse.—
   95         (3) PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS.—
   96         (a) An advanced practice registered nurse who is registered
   97  under this section may:
   98         1. Engage in autonomous practice only in primary care
   99  practice, including family medicine, general pediatrics, and
  100  general internal medicine, as defined by board rule.
  101         2. For certified nurse midwives, engage in autonomous
  102  practice in the performance of the acts listed in s.
  103  464.012(4)(c).
  104         3. Perform the general functions of an advanced practice
  105  registered nurse under s. 464.012(3) related to primary care.
  106         4. For certified registered nurse anesthetists registered
  107  and practicing under this section, perform the acts listed in s.
  108  464.012(4)(b).
  109         5. For a patient who requires the services of a health care
  110  facility, as defined in s. 408.032(8):
  111         a. Admit the patient to the facility.
  112         b. Manage the care received by the patient in the facility.
  113         c. Discharge the patient from the facility, unless
  114  prohibited by federal law or rule.
  115         6.5. Provide a signature, certification, stamp,
  116  verification, affidavit, or endorsement that is otherwise
  117  required by law to be provided by a physician, except an
  118  advanced practice registered nurse registered under this section
  119  may not issue a physician certification under s. 381.986.
  120         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.