BSN10 Update

Dear ANA-NY Members,

In December 2017, when NYS Governor Cuomo signed the bill that requires future RNs wishing to practice nursing in NYS to have a baccalaureate degree in nursing 10 years after their licensure, he did so with a proviso—a condition that an amendment be enacted in 2018 to extend the time period, from 18 months to 30 months, for the temporary Nursing Program Evaluation Commission to submit its report.

That amendment was passed in the Senate (S7320) on January 7, 2018 and in the Assembly (A8952) on May 7, 2018.

As specified on The New York State Education Department’s web site (http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/article139.htm) this law DOES NOT CHANGE THE JUNE 2019 DATE ON WHICH THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIREMENT THAT:

To qualify for a license as a registered professional nurse, an applicant shall fulfill the following requirements:

1. Application: file an application with the department;

2.*Education: have received an education, and a diploma or degree in professional nursing, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations; 
* NB Effective until June 18, 2019

2.*Education: have received an education, and a diploma or degree in professional nursing, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations, and in order to continue to maintain registration as a registered professional nurse in New York state, have attained a baccalaureate degree or higher in nursing within ten years of initial licensure in accordance with the commissioner's regulations. The department, in its discretion, may issue a conditional registration to a licensee who fails to complete the baccalaureate degree but who agrees to meet the additional requirement within one year. The fee for such a conditional registration shall be the same as, and in addition to, the fee for the triennial registration. The duration of such conditional registration shall be for one year and may be extended, with the payment of a fee, for no more than one additional year, unless the applicant can show good cause for non-compliance acceptable to the department. Any licensee who is notified of the denial of a registration for failure to complete the additional educational requirements and who practices as a registered professional nurse without such registration may be subject to disciplinary proceedings pursuant to section sixty-five hundred ten of this title; 
* NB Effective June 18, 2019

It should also be noted that the report of the temporary Nursing Program Evaluation Commission and the resulting recommendations, if any, DO NOT have the weight of law and thus cannot interfere with the law’s implementation or enforcement.