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    AN ACT concerning nursing.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
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represented in the General Assembly: 

 
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    Section 5. The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act is 
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amended  by adding Section 10-37 as follows:
 
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    (225 ILCS 65/10-37  new)
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    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)

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    Sec. 10-37. Nurse externship permit.
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    (a) The Department shall establish a 2-year program under 
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which the Department may issue a nurse externship permit to a 
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registered nurse who is licensed under the laws of another 
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state or territory of the United States and who has not taken 
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the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). A nurse who 
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is issued a permit shall be allowed to practice as a nurse 
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extern under the direct, on-site supervision of a registered 
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professional nurse licensed under this Act. There shall be one 
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supervising registered professional nurse for every one nurse 
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extern.
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    (b) An applicant shall be qualified to receive a nurse 
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externship permit if that applicant:
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        (1)   Has submitted a completed written application to 
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    the Department, on forms provided by the Department, and 
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    paid any fees established by the Department.
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        (2)   Has graduated from a professional nursing 
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    education program approved by the Department.
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        (3)   Is licensed as a professional nurse in another 
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    state or territory of the United States and has submitted a 
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    verification of active and unencumbered licensure in all of 
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    the states and  territories in which the applicant is 
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    licensed.
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        (4)   Has submitted verification of an offer of 
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    employment in Illinois as a nurse extern.  The Department 
 


 






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    may prescribe the information necessary to determine if 
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    this employment meets the requirements of the permit 
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    program. This information shall include a copy of the 
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    written employment offer.
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        (5)   Has submitted a written statement from the 
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    applicant's prospective employer stating that the 
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    prospective employer agrees to pay the full tuition for the 
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    Bilingual Nurse Consortium course or other course approved 
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    by rule.
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        (6)   Has submitted proof of taking the Test of English 
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    as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score as set 
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    by rule.  Applicants with the highest TOEFL scores shall be 
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    given first consideration to entrance into an extern 
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    program.
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        (7)   Has submitted written verification that the 
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    applicant has been enrolled in the Bilingual Nurse 
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    Consortium course or other course approved by rule. This 
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    verification must state that the applicant shall be able to 
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    complete the course within the year for which the permit is 
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    issued.
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        (8) Has agreed to submit to the Department a mid-year 
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    exam as determined by rule that demonstrates proficiency 
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    towards passing the NCLEX.
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        (9)   Has not violated the provisions of Section 10-45 of 
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    this Act.  The Department may take into consideration any 
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    felony conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction 
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    shall not operate as an absolute bar to licensure.
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        (10)   Has met all other requirements established by 
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    rule.
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    (c) A nurse extern shall be issued no more than one permit 
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in a lifetime. The permit shall expire one calendar year after 
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it is issued. Before being issued a license under this Act, the 
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nurse extern must submit proof of the successful completion of 
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the Bilingual Nurse Consortium course or other course approved 
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by rule and successful passage of the NCLEX.  The nurse extern 
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shall not practice autonomous, professional nursing until he or 
 


 






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she is licensed under this Act. The nurse extern shall carry 
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out progressive nursing skills under the direct supervision of 
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a registered nurse licensed under this Act and shall not be 
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employed in a supervisory capacity.  The nurse extern shall work 
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only in the sponsoring facility. A nurse extern may work for a 
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period not to exceed one calendar year from the date of 
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issuance of the permit or until he or she fails the NCLEX.  
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While working as a nurse extern, the nurse extern is subject to 
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the provisions of this Act and all rules adopted by the 
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Department for the administration of this Act.
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    (d) The Secretary shall convene a task force within 2 
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months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
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94th General Assembly to establish clinical guidelines that 
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allow for the  gradual progression of nursing skills in 
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culturally diverse practice settings.  The Nursing Act 
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Coordinator or his or her designee shall serve as chairperson 
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of the task force.  The task force shall include, but not be 
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limited to, 2 representatives of the Illinois Nurses 
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Association, 2 representatives of the Illinois Hispanic Nurses 
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Association, a nurse engaged in nursing education who possesses 
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a master's degree or higher, one representative from the 
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Humboldt Park Vocational Educational Center, 2 registered 
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nurses from United States territories who each hold a current 
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State nursing license, one representative from the Chicago 
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Bilingual Nurse Consortium, and one member of the Illinois 
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Hospital Association.  The task force shall complete this work 
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no longer than 4 months after convening.  After the nurse 
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externship permit program has been in effect for 2 years, the 
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task force shall evaluate the effectiveness of the program and 
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make appropriate recommendations to the Secretary.
 

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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
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becoming law.