Bill > S1350

This bill expands the scope of practice for various healthcare providers in Massachusetts. Key provisions include: - Allowing nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists to register as "practitioners" under Chapter 94C and distribute, dispense, and conduct research with controlled substances within their authorized scope of practice. - Permitting licensed dental therapists to administer certain medications (analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics) under the supervision of a practitioner. - Expanding the definition of "practice of optometry" to allow optometrists to use and prescribe a broader range of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, including for the treatment of glaucoma. - Establishing an examination and certification process for optometrists to qualify for this expanded scope of practice. - Granting nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists the ability to practice independently after 2 years of supervised practice, and allowing nurse anesthetists similar independent practice authority. The overall goal of the bill is to enhance the scope of practice for certain non-physician healthcare providers in Massachusetts.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S1350