Vocational nursing: direction of naturopathic doctor.

Existing law, the Vocational Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of vocational nurses by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California. The act defines the practice of vocational nursing as the performance of services requiring those technical, manual skills acquired by means of a course in an approved school of vocational nursing, or its equivalent, practiced under the direction of a licensed physician or registered professional nurse, as defined. This bill would revise that definition to additionally include practice under the direction of a naturopathic doctor, as specified. The bill would require a naturopathic doctor who is supervising a licensed vocational nurse to establish a written supervision protocol, listing the practice agreement, that includes specified information, including a description of the duties and responsibilities of the licensed vocational nurse and, if applicable, disclosure of the procedure or protocol for the furnishing or ordering of drugs. The bill would specify that its provisions do not authorize a licensed vocational nurse to perform various acts, including performing platelet-rich plasma therapy and administering laser, light, steam, or ultraviolet treatment therapies, except as provided. Existing law, 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. Existing law also authorizes a licensed vocational nurse to perform certain tests and immunization techniques, as described, when acting under the direction of a physician and surgeon. This bill would authorize a licensed vocational nurse to perform the above-described actions when acting under the direction of a naturopathic doctor, as specified.