Signature authority for health care forms, etc.

(a) When any law or rule requires a signature, certification, stamp, verification, affidavit, or endorsement by a physician, the document shall be deemed to authorize a signature, certification, stamp, verification, affidavit, or endorsement by a certified registered nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife for the items listed in this section. The authority in this section for a certified registered nurse practitioner and a certified nurse midwife shall be subject to an active collaboration agreement. This section applies to all of the following:

(1) Certification of disability for patients to receive special access parking or disability access parking tags or placards.

(2) A signature required for any of the following:

a. The following documents that require a complete history and physical examination consistent with the examining provider's scope of practice and certification:

1. Physicals for bus drivers in this state using State of Alabama forms.

2. Physicals to verify eligibility for students to participate in the Special Olympics.

3. Employment and pre-employment physicals for Transportation Security Agency (TSA) employees at an airport or for governmental employees such as firefighters and law enforcement officers.

4. Adoptive parent applications.

5. College or trade school physicals.

6. Boy Scout or Girl Scout physicals or physical required by similar organizations.

b. Forms excusing a potential jury member due to an illness.

c. Forms relating to absenteeism for employment or school purposes, including, but not limited to, documents associated with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

d. Authorizations for durable medical equipment.

e. Authorizations for diabetic testing supplies.

f. Authorization for diabetic shoes.

g. Home health recertification orders after initial certification.

h. Within the state Medicaid system, any and all forms for the ordering of medications, nutritional supplements, or infant formulas, or referrals to providers of medical specialties, home health services, and physical or occupation therapy.

i. Death certificates.

j. Forms, including physical examination forms, needed for certifications in residential or inpatient dwellings within the Department of Mental Health.

k. Forms for ambulance transport.

l. Forms for donor breast milk.

m. Required documentation allowing a diabetic to renew or obtain a driver's license.

(b) Additional forms may be approved by rule under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act by the State Board of Medical Examiners, after consulting with the state professional society of nurse practitioners, the state professional society of nurse midwives, the state professional society of physicians, or the Joint Committee of the State Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Nursing for Advanced Practice Nurses as established by Section 34-21-81, whichever is appropriate.

(c) This section shall not be construed to expand the scope of practice for any certified registered nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.

(d) This section does not expand the scope of a collaborative physician's responsibility with regard to nurse practitioners or nurse midwives under the laws of this state.

(Act 2018-474, §1.)