Bill > AB44

This bill expands the list of healthcare professionals who can officially pronounce a patient's date of death for death record purposes by adding advanced practice nurse prescribers (APNPs). An advanced practice nurse prescriber is defined as a nurse certified to issue prescription orders. Currently, physicians, naturopathic doctors, coroners, medical examiners, physician assistants, and hospice nurses can pronounce a patient's date of death, and this bill adds APNPs to that list. Specifically, an advanced practice nurse prescriber who has been directly involved with a patient's care and who follows accepted medical standards will now be authorized to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient's death when preparing a death record. This change allows APNPs, who often have significant direct patient care experience, to officially document a patient's time of death, potentially streamlining the death record process and recognizing the professional capabilities of advanced practice nurse prescribers.

Health and Social Services

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab44