Nursing.

(1) Existing law, until January 1, 2012, creates within the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California. Existing law, until January 1, 2012, requires the board to select an executive officer to perform duties delegated by the board. Under existing law, boards scheduled for repeal are required to be evaluated by the Joint Sunset Review Committee. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions until January 1, 2016, and would specify that the board would be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. (2) Existing law requires the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California to inspect all schools of vocational nursing and psychiatric technicians for purposes of accreditation or determining compliance with prescribed standards. This bill would instead require the inspection or review of those schools for the purposes described above. (3) Existing law requires an applicant for a vocational nurse license or a psychiatric technician's license to have successfully completed specified courses of studies from a school accredited by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California. Existing law requires an employer of a licensed vocational nurse or psychiatric technician to report to the board the suspension or termination for cause of the licensed vocational nurse or psychiatric technician. A violation by any person of any of the provisions governing these professions is a misdemeanor. This bill would instead require an applicant for a vocational nurse license or a psychiatric technician's license to have successfully completed specified courses of studies from a school approved by the board. The bill would also require an employer of a licensed vocational nurse or psychiatric technician to report to the board the resignation for cause, as defined, of the licensed vocational nurse or psychiatric technician and would require an employment agency or nursing registry to report to the board the rejection from assignment of the licensed vocational nurse or psychiatric technician. By revising the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.