Senator Hill recently introduced Senate Bill 1480. The bill would, if approved, make changes to the Public Health Nurse (PHN) fees that are currently set forth in Business and Professions Code section 2815(o). At the Board of Registered Nursing public Board meeting held on March 29, 2018, the Board voted to enforce the $500 minimum statutory fee based on that which was previously approved by the Legislature. Please be advised that the proposed statutory fee changes will not become effective until January 1, 2019 if the bill is approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. The language regarding the proposed fee changes is below. You are urged to follow the bill as it makes its way through the various legislative committees.
Introduced by Senator Hill
February 16, 2018
SEC. 5. Section 2816 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
The nonrefundable fee to be paid by a registered nurse for an evaluation of his or her qualifications to use the title “public health nurse” shall be equal to the fees set out in subdivision (o) of Section 2815 not be less than three hundred dollars ($300) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The fee to be paid upon the application for renewal of the certificate to practice as a public health nurse shall be fixed by the board at not not be less than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) and not more than five hundred dollars ($500). The penalty fee for failure to renew a certificate to practice as a public health nurse within the prescribed time shall be 50 percent of the renewal fee in effect on the date of renewal of the certificate, but not less than sixty-two dollars and fifty cents ($62.50), and not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250). All fees payable under this section shall be collected by and paid to the Board of Registered Nursing Fund. It is the intention of the Legislature that the costs of carrying out the purposes of this article shall be covered by the revenue collected pursuant to this section. The board shall refund any registered nurse who paid more than three hundred dollars ($300) for an evaluation of his or her qualifications to use the title “public health nurse” between April 5, 2018, and December 31, 2018.
Advanced Practice and Public Health Nurse Certification
The Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) certifies public health nurses and advanced practice nurses. Advanced practice nurses include nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse anesthetists. The BRN also maintains a listing of psychiatric/mental health nurses. In each of these categories, the individual must first have a California registered nurse license before obtaining the certificate.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Nurse Anesthetist (NA)
- Nurse-Midwife (NMW)
- Nurse-Midwife Furnishing Number (NMF)
- Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Nurse Practitioner Practicing Without Standardized Procedures in a Group Setting (103 NP)
- Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Number (NPF)
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse (PMH)
- Public Health Nurse (PHN)
Submission of Transcripts and Documents
Transcripts: Advanced Practice and PHN transcripts can be sent to our Board electronically from a certified third-party electronic transcripts vendor such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse*, or directly from your school. Electronic transcripts must be sent to BRN.APRN.eTranscripts@dca.ca.gov.
*If requesting transcripts via National Student Clearinghouse, please use these instructions to ensure proper delivery of your electronic transcripts to the Board.
Required Documents: Additional required documents and forms will be accepted electronically. Required advanced practice and PHN forms and documents will not be accepted from applicants and will only be accepted from the appropriate school, national organizations, and associations electronically to the following Board email address: BRN.APRN.eDocs@dca.ca.gov.
You can check the progress of your online application by regularly logging into your BreEZe account or by using the Application Status and Details portal.
Please refer to our Processing Times page for current timeframes.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
The clinical nurse specialist is a BRN certified RN who is an advanced practice nurse providing expert clinical practice, research, education, consultation and clinical leadership with an identified patient population. The scope of clinical nurse specialist practice includes patients, nursing personnel and organization systems. Clinical nurse specialists work in direct patient care and indirect patient care activities that affect a broad range of patients.
There are three methods to qualify for certification as a clinical nurse specialist with the BRN. General reporting of prior disciplines are required for all methods.
- Click to open the Clinical Nurse Specialist application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Nurse Anesthetist
The nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse who provides anesthesia services ordered by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist, and is certified by the BRN in this specialty.
- Click to open the Nurse Anesthetist application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Nurse-Midwife
The nurse-midwife is a registered nurse who, having received a certificate from the BRN, attends cases of normal childbirth and provides prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care, including family planning care for mothers and immediate care for the newborn.
There are three methods to qualify for certification as a nurse-midwife with the BRN. General reporting of prior disciplines are required for all methods.
- Click to open the Nurse-Midwife application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Nurse-Midwife Furnishing Number
A furnishing number is issued by the BRN to a nurse-midwife which allows him or her to "order" or furnish drugs and devices to patients within their scope of practice. The nurse-midwife with a furnishing number may obtain a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number if he or she wants to order controlled substances as needed for patient care, using approved standardized procedures.
- Click to open the Nurse-Midwife Furnishing Number application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Nurse Practitioner
The nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who possesses additional preparation and skills in physical diagnosis, psychosocial assessment, and management of health and illness needs in primary health care.
There are three methods to qualify for certification as a nurse practitioner with the BRN. General reporting of prior disciplines are required for all methods.
- Click to open the Nurse Practitioner application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Nurse Practitioner Practicing Without Standardized Procedures in a Group Setting (103 NP)
A Nurse Practitioner who practices without standard procedures in a group setting as defined in 16 CCR 1480 k and BPC 2837.103 (2)(A-F) may perform the functions listed in Section 2387.103(c) of the code in which the applicant has a National Certification as a Nurse Practitioner.
- Click to open the Nurse Practitioner Practicing Without Standardized Procedures in a Group Setting (103 NP) online instructions
- Apply Online
- Click to open the online instructions to Add Additional Nurse Practitioner Providers to your existing open 103 NP application
Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Number
The BRN issues a furnishing number to a nurse practitioner that allows him or her to "order" or furnish drugs and devices to patients using approved standardized procedures. A nurse practitioner with a furnishing number may obtain a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number if they want to order controlled substances as needed for patient care.
- Click to open the Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Number application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse
Pursuant to Insurance Code Section 10176, the BRN maintains a listing of registered nurses who possess a master's degree in psychiatric/mental health nursing plus two years of supervised experience providing services as a psychiatric/mental health nurse and who have applied to the BRN to be listed. This voluntary listing enables the certificate holder to receive direct reimbursement from insurance carriers for counseling services.
There are two methods to qualify for listing as a psychiatric/mental health nurse with the BRN. General reporting of prior disciplines are required for both methods.
- Click to open the Psychiatic/Mental Health Nurse application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online
Public Health Nurse
The public health nurse is a registered nurse who has received a certificate from the BRN. He or she is an integral part of the public health community and provides direct patient care as well as services related to maintaining public health.
- If you are applying to be a Public Health Nurse after completing a baccalaureate nursing program or a specialized public health nursing program outside of California, please submit proof of the seven hours of training in the prevention, early detection, intervention, California reporting requirements, and treatment of child neglect and abuse by attaching a copy of your certificate of completion with your application.
- Click to open the Public Health Nurse application instructions. Application instructions also include associated forms that may be attached to online application as needed.
- Apply Online