Advanced practice registered nursing’ means nursing by a certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner which is based on knowledge and skills acquired in a basic nursing education program, licensure as a registered nurse, and a minimum of a master’s degree with a concentration in the respective advanced practice nursing specialty . . . .” [Louisiana Rev. Stat. sec. 913, para. (3)(a)]
Out-of-State Applicants: “The board may by endorsement issue a license to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse if the applicant has practiced as an advanced practice registered nurse under the laws of another state and, in the opinion of the board, has met the requirements of Paragraph (A)(2)”[Louisiana Rev. Stat. sec. 920, para (B)(2)]
Paragraph (A)(2) requires APRNs who “completed or enrolled in a formalized post-basic education program” prior to December 31, 1995, (1) to have completed a “formal education program preparing graduates to practice specialized and advanced nursing practice,” and (2) to hold current certification. Applicants who enrolled in an APRN program after January 1, 1996, are required to have “a minimum of a master’s degree with a concentration in the respective advanced practice nursing specialty. . . .” [Louisiana Rev. Stat. sec. 920, para (A)(2)]
Additional provisions: The Louisiana Board of Nursing adopted the following rule (c) to allow the BON to review and approve an APRN applicant who graduated without a graduate degree after December 31, 1995. This is beneficial for CRNAs, since all nurse anesthesia programs were not required to be at the master’s degree level until December 31, 1998. “4507. Licensure as Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
A. Initial Licensure 1. The applicant shall meet the following requirements: … b. completion of a minimum of a graduate degree with a concentration in the respective advanced practice nursing role and population focus or completion of a post master’s concentration in the respective advanced practice nursing role and population focus from a program accredited by a nursing or nursing related accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. secretary of education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and otherwise approved by the board. Exception to the graduate degree may be granted to those applicants who provide documentation as requested by the board that, prior to December 31, 1995, the applicant completed or was continuously enrolled in a formalized post-basic education program preparing for the advanced practice nursing role and population focus as approved by the board prior to December 31, 1995 as follows …
c. any deviation from Clause 1.b shall be submitted to the board for review and approval….” [Louisiana Board of Nursing rules, LAC 46:XLVII.4507]
The educational and certification requirements “shall not apply to a graduate nurse anesthetist awaiting certification results, provided that the application for certification is made as soon as possible upon completion of the prescribed educational program in a school of anesthesia and provided further that this is the initial attempt for passage of the certification examination.” [La. Rev. Stat. 37 sec. 930(B)(3)]
New DEA MATE Act Requirements
Congress has passed the MATE Act requiring all CRNAs who need to renew or are applying for a DEA license to complete a one-time training (totaling 8 hours) on managing patients with substance use disorders. View our FAQs below to learn more about this requirement and for information about our new DEA Bundle to help you meet this requirement.
FAQs
CRNAs are a type of “advanced practice registered nurse.”
Advanced practice registered nurses must meet certain requirements in order to obtain a license to practice in Louisiana. [Louisiana Revised Statutes, sec. 920]