(1) An applicant for licensure to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse shall file with the board a written application for licensure and submit evidence, verified by oath, that the applicant:
(a) Has completed an education program that prepares the registered nurse for one (1) of four (4) APRN roles that has been accredited by a national nursing accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education;

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 314.042

  • Advanced practice registered nursing: means the performance of additional acts by registered nurses who have gained advanced clinical knowledge and skills through an accredited education program that prepares the registered nurse for one (1) of the four (4) APRN roles. See Kentucky Statutes 314.011
  • Board: means Kentucky Board of Nursing. See Kentucky Statutes 314.011
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisprudence: The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
  • Nurse: means a person who is licensed or holds the privilege to practice under the provisions of this chapter as a registered nurse or as a licensed practical nurse. See Kentucky Statutes 314.011
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Population focus: means the section of the population within which the advanced practice registered nurse has targeted to practice. See Kentucky Statutes 314.011
  • Registered nurse: means one who is licensed or holds the privilege under the provisions of this chapter to engage in registered nursing practice. See Kentucky Statutes 314.011
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Year: means calendar year. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010

(b) Is certified by a nationally established organization or agency recognized by the board to certify registered nurses for advanced practice registered nursing;
(c) Is able to understandably speak and write the English language and to read the
English language with comprehension; and
(d) Has passed the jurisprudence examination approved by the board as provided in subsection (12) of this section.
(2) The board may issue a license to practice advanced practice registered nursing to an applicant who holds a current active registered nurse license issued by the board or holds the privilege to practice as a registered nurse in this state and meets the qualifications of subsection (1) of this section. An advanced practice registered nurse shall be:
(a) Designated by the board as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, certified nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist; and
(b) Certified in at least one (1) population focus.
(3) The applicant for licensure or renewal thereof to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse shall pay a fee to the board as set forth in regulation by the board.
(4) An advanced practice registered nurse shall maintain a current active registered nurse license issued by the board or hold the privilege to practice as a registered nurse in this state and maintain current certification by the appropriate national organization or agency recognized by the board.
(5) Any person who holds a license to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse in this state shall have the right to use the title “advanced practice registered nurse” and the abbreviation “APRN.” No other person shall assume the title or use the abbreviation or any other words, letters, signs, or figures to indicate that the person using the same is an advanced practice registered nurse. No person shall practice as an advanced practice registered nurse unless licensed under this section.
(6) Any person heretofore licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse under the provisions of this chapter who has allowed the license to lapse may be reinstated on payment of the current fee and by meeting the provisions of this chapter and regulations promulgated by the board pursuant to the provisions of KRS Chapter
13A.
(7) The board may authorize a person to practice as an advanced practice registered
nurse temporarily and pursuant to applicable regulations promulgated by the board pursuant to the provisions of KRS Chapter 13A if the person is awaiting licensure by endorsement.
(8) (a) Except as authorized by subsection (9) of this section, before an advanced practice registered nurse engages in the prescribing or dispensing of nonscheduled legend drugs as authorized by KRS § 314.011(8), the advanced practice registered nurse shall enter into a written “Collaborative Agreement for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse‘s Prescriptive Authority for Nonscheduled Legend Drugs” (CAPA-NS) with a physician licensed in Kentucky that defines the scope of the prescriptive authority for nonscheduled legend drugs.
(b) The advanced practice registered nurse shall notify the Kentucky Board of Nursing of the existence of the CAPA-NS and the name of the collaborating physician and shall, upon request, furnish to the board or its staff a copy of the completed CAPA-NS. The Kentucky Board of Nursing shall notify the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure that a CAPA-NS exists and furnish the collaborating physician’s name.
(c) The CAPA-NS shall be in writing and signed by both the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician. A copy of the completed collaborative agreement shall be available at each site where the advanced practice registered nurse is providing patient care.
(d) The CAPA-NS shall describe the arrangement for collaboration and communication between the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician regarding the prescribing of nonscheduled legend drugs by the advanced practice registered nurse.
(e) The advanced practice registered nurse who is prescribing nonscheduled legend drugs and the collaborating physician shall be qualified in the same or a similar specialty.
(f) The CAPA-NS is not intended to be a substitute for the exercise of professional judgment by the advanced practice registered nurse or by the collaborating physician.
(g) The CAPA-NS shall be reviewed and signed by both the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician and may be rescinded by either party upon written notice to the other party and the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
(9) (a) Before an advanced practice registered nurse may discontinue or be exempt from a CAPA-NS required under subsection (8) of this section, the advanced practice registered nurse shall have completed four (4) years of prescribing as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, or as a nurse anesthetist. For nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, the four (4) years of prescribing shall be in a population focus as defined in KRS § 314.011.
(b) After four (4) years of prescribing with a CAPA-NS in collaboration with a physician:
1. An advanced practice registered nurse whose license is in good standing at that time with the Kentucky Board of Nursing and who will be prescribing nonscheduled legend drugs without a CAPA-NS shall notify that board that the four (4) year requirement has been met and that he or she will be prescribing nonscheduled legend drugs without a CAPA-NS;
2. The advanced practice registered nurse will no longer be required to maintain a CAPA-NS and shall not be compelled to maintain a CAPA- NS as a condition to prescribe after the four (4) years have expired, but an advanced practice registered nurse may choose to maintain a CAPA- NS indefinitely after the four (4) years have expired; and
3. If the advanced practice registered nurse’s license is not in good standing, the CAPA-NS requirement shall not be removed until the license is restored to good standing.
(c) An advanced practice registered nurse wishing to practice in Kentucky through licensure by endorsement is exempt from the CAPA-NS requirement if the advanced practice registered nurse:
1. Has met the prescribing requirements in a state that grants independent prescribing to advanced practice registered nurses; and
2. Has been prescribing for at least four (4) years.
(d) An advanced practice registered nurse wishing to practice in Kentucky through licensure by endorsement who had a collaborative prescribing agreement with a physician in another state for at least four (4) years is exempt from the CAPA-NS requirement.
(10) (a) Before an advanced practice registered nurse engages in the prescribing of
Schedules II through V controlled substances as authorized by KRS
314.011(8), the advanced practice registered nurse shall enter into a written “Collaborative Agreement for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse’s Prescriptive Authority for Controlled Substances” (CAPA-CS) with a physician licensed in Kentucky that defines the scope of the prescriptive authority for controlled substances.
(b) The advanced practice registered nurse shall notify the Kentucky Board of Nursing of the existence of the CAPA-CS and the name of the collaborating physician and shall, upon request, furnish to the board or its staff a copy of the completed CAPA-CS. The Kentucky Board of Nursing shall notify the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure that a CAPA-CS exists and furnish the collaborating physician’s name.
(c) The CAPA-CS shall be in writing and signed by both the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician. A copy of the completed collaborative agreement shall be available at each site where the advanced practice registered nurse is providing patient care.
(d) The CAPA-CS shall describe the arrangement for collaboration and communication between the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician regarding the prescribing of controlled substances by
the advanced practice registered nurse.
(e) The advanced practice registered nurse who is prescribing controlled substances and the collaborating physician shall be qualified in the same or a similar specialty.
(f) The CAPA-CS is not intended to be a substitute for the exercise of professional judgment by the advanced practice registered nurse or by the collaborating physician.
(g) Before engaging in the prescribing of controlled substances, the advanced practice registered nurse shall:
1. Have been licensed to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse for one (1) year with the Kentucky Board of Nursing; or
2. Be nationally certified as an advanced practice registered nurse and be registered, certified, or licensed in good standing as an advanced practice registered nurse in another state for one (1) year prior to applying for licensure by endorsement in Kentucky.
(h) Prior to prescribing controlled substances, the advanced practice registered nurse shall obtain a Controlled Substance Registration Certificate through the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
(i) The CAPA-CS shall be reviewed and signed by both the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician and may be rescinded by either party upon written notice to the other party and the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
(j) The CAPA-CS shall state the limits on controlled substances which may be prescribed by the advanced practice registered nurse, as agreed to by the advanced practice registered nurse and the collaborating physician. The limits so imposed may be more stringent than either the schedule limits on controlled substances established in KRS § 314.011(8) or the limits imposed in regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Board of Nursing thereunder.
(k) Within thirty (30) days of obtaining a Controlled Substance Registration Certificate from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and prior to prescribing controlled substances, the advanced practice registered nurse shall register with the electronic system for monitoring controlled substances established by KRS § 218A.202 and shall provide a copy of the registration certificate to the board.
(11) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring an advanced practice registered nurse designated by the board as a certified registered nurse anesthetist to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician, pursuant to this chapter or any other provision of law, in order to deliver anesthesia care.
(12) The jurisprudence examination shall be prescribed by the board and be conducted on the licensing requirements under this chapter and board regulations and requirements applicable to advanced practice registered nursing in this Commonwealth. The board shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A, establishing the provisions to meet this
requirement.
Effective: June 29, 2021
History: Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 119, sec. 2, effective June 29, 2021. — Amended
2018 Ky. Acts ch. 183, sec. 4, effective July 14, 2018. — Amended 2015 Ky. Acts ch.
113, sec. 14, effective June 24, 2015; and ch. 117, sec. 12, effective June 24, 2015. — Amended 2014 Ky. Acts ch. 2, sec. 2, effective July 15, 2014. — Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 53, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 99, sec.
2, effective July 15, 2008. — Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 5, sec. 2, effective July 12,
2006; and ch. 86, sec. 5, effective June 1, 2007. — Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 391, sec. 10, effective July 14, 2000. — Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 342, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1996. — Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 367, sec. 7, effective July 15, 1994. — Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 128, sec. 6, effective July 14, 1992. — Amended 1990
Ky. Acts ch. 443, sec. 21, effective July 13, 1990. — Created 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 408, sec. 5, effective July 15, 1982.