§ 485.604 Personnel qualifications.

Staff that furnish services in a CAH must meet the applicable requirements of this section. (a) Clinical nurse specialist. A clinical nurse specialist must be a person who— (1) Is a registered nurse and is licensed to practice nursing in the State in which the clinical nurse specialist services are performed in accordance with State nurse licensing laws and regulations; and (2) Holds a master's or doctoral level degree in a defined clinical area of nursing from an accredited educational institution. (b) Nurse practitioner. A nurse practitioner must be a registered professional nurse who is currently licensed to practice in the State, who meets the State's requirements governing the qualification of nurse practitioners, and who meets one of the following conditions: (1) Is currently certified as a primary care nurse practitioner by the American Nurses' Association or by the National Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Associates. (2) Has successfully completed a 1 academic year program that— (i) Prepares registered nurses to perform an expanded role in the delivery of primary care; (ii) Includes at least 4 months (in the aggregate) of classroom instruction and a component of supervised clinical practice; and (iii) Awards a degree, diploma, or certificate to persons who successfully complete the program. (3) Has successfully completed a formal educational program (for preparing registered nurses to perform an expanded role in the delivery of primary care) that does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and has been performing an expanded role in the delivery of primary care for a total of 12 months during the 18-month period immediately preceding June 25, 1993. (c) Physician assistant. A physician assistant must be a person who meets the applicable State requirements governing the qualifications for assistants to primary care physicians, and who meets at least one of the following conditions: (1) Is currently certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants to assist primary care physicians. (2) Has satisfactorily completed a program for preparing physician assistants that— (i) Was at least one academic year in length; (ii) Consisted of supervised clinical practice and at least 4 months (in the aggregate) of classroom instruction directed toward preparing students to deliver health care; and (iii) Was accredited by the American Medical Association's Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation. (3) Has satisfactorily completed a formal educational program (for preparing physician assistants) that does not meet the requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of this section and has been assisting primary care physicians for a total of 12 months during the 18-month period immediately preceding June 25, 1993.