HB1131

House Bill 1131 allows advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Arkansas to delegate specific nursing tasks to trained, unlicensed healthcare workers. These delegable tasks include phlebotomy and the administration of certain medications and immunizations that do not require specialized nursing judgment. The bill mandates that the delegating APRN retains full responsibility for the actions of the unlicensed staff member. Furthermore, the healthcare worker must perform these tasks under the direct supervision of the APRN and cannot be represented to the public as a licensed professional. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing is required to establish rules concerning training, competency, and the clinical boundaries for these delegations. The bill explicitly prohibits delegating the administration of anesthesia and prohibits the further delegation of tasks by the unlicensed worker.