Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California: vocational nursing and psychiatric technicians.

Existing law, until January 1, 2022, establishes the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California to license and regulate vocational nurses and psychiatric technicians. Existing law requires the board to discipline the holder of any license whose default has been entered or who has been heard by the board and found guilty. This bill, among other things, would extend the existence of the board and its powers to January 1, 2025. Existing law, prior to January 1, 2018, required the board to appoint an executive officer to perform duties delegated by the board. Existing law, beginning January 1, 2018, and until January 1, 2022, instead requires the Governor to appoint an executive officer, and, commencing January 1, 2022, requires the executive officer to again be appointed by the board. Existing law repeals the authority to appoint an executive officer on January 1, 2023. This bill would require the executive officer in office on December 31, 2021, to continue in the position until that position is vacated or the board selects another executive officer. The bill would require the board to delegate to the executive officer the authority to adopt a decision entered by default and to adopt a stipulation for surrender of a license. Existing law, the Vocational Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of vocational nurses by the board. That act, among other things, authorizes a licensed vocational nurse to withdraw blood, administer medications, and start and superimpose intravenous fluids, as described, when directed by a physician and surgeon. That act also authorizes a licensed vocational nurse to perform certain tests and immunization techniques, as described, when acting under the direction of a physician and requires the physician to fulfill certain requirements when authorizing the nurse to perform those tests or techniques. This bill would instead specify that a vocational nurse is authorized to take the above-described actions under the direction of a licensed physician and surgeon. The Vocational Nursing Practice Act requires an applicant for a vocational nursing license to pay the required fees upon filing of the application. Under the act, the board is also required to prepare and maintain a list of approved schools of vocational nursing in this state whose graduates, if they have the other necessary qualifications, shall be eligible to apply for a vocational nursing license. This bill would require the vocational nursing license application to be on a form prescribed by the board. The bill, until January 1, 2025, would impose application, final approval, and continuing approval fees on vocational nursing schools and programs, provide timelines that the board and those schools and programs are required to follow during the board approval process, and require the adoption of emergency regulations no later than June 30, 2022, as provided. The bill would also require the board to maintain a list of inactive vocational nursing schools and programs seeking board approval and would impose additional requirements on those schools and programs. The bill would provide that a vocational nursing school or program seeking board approval that remains on the inactive list for 90 days shall be taken out of consideration for a new program and may only reapply after 6 months. Existing law, the Psychiatric Technicians Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of psychiatric technicians (PTs) by the board. That law, among other things, authorizes a psychiatric technician to perform certain activities, withdraw blood, and administer medications when prescribed by a physician and surgeon. Existing law requires the board to prepare and maintain a list of approved schools that offer an approved program for psychiatric technicians. This bill would specify that a psychiatric technician is authorized to take these actions when prescribed by a licensed physician and surgeon. The bill, until January 1, 2025, would impose application, final approval, and continuing approval fees on psychiatric technician schools and programs, provide timelines that the board and those schools and programs are required to follow during the board approval process, and require the adoption of emergency regulations no later than June 30, 2022, as provided. The bill would also require the board to maintain a list of inactive psychiatric technician schools and programs seeking board approval and would impose additional requirements on those schools and programs. The bill would provide that a psychiatric technician school or program seeking board approval that remains on the inactive list for 90 days shall be taken out of consideration for a new program and may only reapply after 6 months. This bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes.