There are many acts a nurse licensed or certified in Arizona can be disciplined for that is not illegal per se. In fact, all individuals who are licensed or certified by the state are held to a higher standard than the general public. However, the laws that deal with nursing in Arizona specifically state a number of illegal acts that any individual may not do unless they are specifically licensed or certified to practice nursing in Arizona. Those acts include:
- Acting as or offering to act as a clinical nurse specialist, registered nurse practitioner, or registered or practical nurse in Arizona.
- Using any abbreviation, card, device, figure, letter, sign or title that indicates that the individual is a clinical nurse specialist, graduate nurse, nurse practitioner, practical nurse, professional nurse or registered nurse.
- Using any abbreviation, card, device, letter or sign that indicates the individual is certified to practice nursing in any capacity.
- Operating a training or educational program to prepare students for licensure or certification as a nurse in Arizona unless it has been approved by the Arizona Board of Nursing.
If you have a question about nursing laws in Arizona contact Arizona Attorney Robert Chelle.