Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
This chapter of the Business and Professions Code constitutes the chapter on vocational nursing and may be cited as the Vocational Nursing Practice Act.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
(a) The Legislature hereby declares the practice of licensed vocational nursing to be a profession.
(b) This section shall not be construed to affect the laws relating to the practice of registered nursing, including the provisions of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2700), nor any existing regulations relating to registered nurse staffing of licensed health facilities.
(c) The intent of this section shall not be construed to mean that licensed vocational nurses are to be considered as professional employees as defined in Sections 3507.3 and 3533 of the Government Code.
(Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 734.)
(a) There is in the Department of Consumer Affairs a Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California, consisting of 11 members.
(b) Within the meaning of this chapter, “board,” or “the board,” refers to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the repeal of this section renders the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 338, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2012. Repealed as of January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 107, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2003.)
(a) Each member of the board shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of California. The board shall have the following composition:
(1) Two members shall be duly licensed vocational nurses who have been licensed for a period of not less than three years prior to appointment.
(2) Two members shall be licensed psychiatric technicians, each of whom shall have had not less than five years’ experience in a psychiatric hospital, or in a psychiatric unit of a hospital licensed by the State Department of Health Services, or a private institution licensed by the State Department of Health Services.
(3) One member shall be a licensed vocational nurse or registered nurse who shall have had not less than five years’ experience as a teacher or administrator in an accredited school of vocational nursing.
(4) Six members shall be public members who are not licentiates of the board or any other board under this division or of any board referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600.
(b) No person may serve as a member of the board for more than two consecutive terms.
(c) Per diem and expenses of members of the board who are licensed psychiatric technicians shall be paid solely from revenues received pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4500) of Division 2.
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 759, Sec. 19. Effective January 1, 1998.)
Members of the board shall be appointed for a term of four years. Vacancies occurring shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term.
Appointments to the office shall be for a term of four years expiring on June 1st.
The Governor shall appoint four of the public members and the licensed members of the board qualified as provided in Section 2842. The Senate Rules Committee and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint a public member, and their initial appointment shall be made to fill, respectively, the first and second public member vacancies which occur on or after January 1, 1983.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 655, Sec. 41.2. Effective January 1, 2000.)
The Governor has the power to remove any member of the board from office for neglect of any duty required by law, or for incompetency, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
The board at its first meeting after appointment, and annually thereafter at its first meeting in each year, shall elect from its members a president, vice president, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. The officers of the board shall hold their respective positions during its pleasure.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
(a) The board shall select an executive officer who shall perform duties as are delegated by the board and who shall be responsible to it for the accomplishment of those duties.
(b) The person selected to be the executive officer of the board shall be a duly licensed vocational nurse under this chapter, a duly licensed professional nurse as defined in Section 2725, or a duly licensed psychiatric technician. The executive officer shall not be a member of the board.
(c) With the approval of the Director of Finance, the board shall fix the salary of the executive officer.
(d) The executive officer shall be entitled to traveling and other necessary expenses in the performance of his or her duties. He or she shall make a statement, certified before a duly authorized person, that the expenses have been actually incurred.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date.
(Amended (as added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 35) by Stats. 2011, Ch. 338, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2012. Repealed as of January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
The board for the purpose of transacting its business shall meet at least twice each year, at times and places it designates by resolution.
(Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1275, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 1995.)
Special meetings may be held at such times as the board may elect, or on the call of the president of the board, or of not less than five members thereof.
A written notice of the time, place, and object of any special meeting shall be mailed by the executive officer to all members of the board who are not parties to the call, at least 15 days before the day of the meeting.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 85, Sec. 3.)
Meetings may be held at any time and place by the written consent of all members of the board.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
Six members of the board constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 810, Sec. 24. Effective January 1, 2003.)
The board shall keep a record of all its proceedings, including a register of all applicants for licenses under this chapter and the action of the board upon each application.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
(a) The board shall collect, at least biennially, at the times of both issuing an initial license and issuing a renewal license, all of the following data on vocational nurses licensed under this chapter:
(1) Location of practice, including city, county, and ZIP Code.
(2) Race or ethnicity, subject to subdivision (c).
(3) Gender.
(4) Languages spoken.
(5) Educational background.
(6) Classification of primary practice site among the types of practice sites specified by the board, including, but not limited to, clinic, hospital, managed care organization, or private practice.
(b) The board shall annually provide the data collected pursuant to subdivision (a) to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in a manner directed by the office that allows for inclusion of the data into the annual report required by Section 128052 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) A licensee may, but is not required to, report his or her race or ethnicity to the board.
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 420, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2015.)
The office of the board shall be in the City of Sacramento. Suboffices may be established in Los Angeles and San Francisco and such records as may be necessary may be transferred temporarily to them. Legal proceedings against the board may be instituted in any county in which any of the three cities above mentioned is located.
(Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1689.)
The board shall prosecute all persons guilty of violating the provisions of this chapter.
It may employ such clerical assistance as it may deem necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this chapter. The board may fix the compensation to be paid for such services and may incur such other expenses as it may deem necessary.
The board may adopt, amend, or repeal such rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary to enable it to carry into effect the provisions of this chapter. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.
(Amended by Stats. 1971, Ch. 716.)
Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 1959, Ch. 1645.)
The board shall issue a license designated as licensed vocational nurse license.
(Amended by Stats. 1971, Ch. 716.)
The board shall accept in payment of any fee required by this chapter cash or any customary or generally accepted medium of exchange, including check, cashier’s check, certified check or postal money order. For the purposes of this section, customary or generally accepted medium of exchange does not include postage stamps.
(Added by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1468.)