Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 9 de 11 de octubre de 1987, conocida como la "Ley para Reglamentar la Práctica de la Enfermería en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico". El propósito principal es aumentar de dos a cuatro las oportunidades que tienen los aspirantes a ejercer la profesión de enfermería para aprobar el examen de reválida administrado por la Junta Examinadora de Enfermeras y Enfermeros de Puerto Rico.
(Approved March 10, 2003)
To amend subsection
(d) of Section 8 of Act No. 9 of October 11, 1987, as amended, known as the "Act to Regulate the Practice of Nursing in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," for the purpose of increasing the number of opportunities that aspirants to exercise the practice of the nursing profession may take the revalidation examination offered by the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners of Puerto Rico; and other purposes.
Act No. 9 of October 11, 1987 was approved by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for the purposes of regulating the practice of nursing in this jurisdiction, to revoke Act No. 121 of June 30, 1965, as amended, and to dispose over all matters pertaining to the issuing of licenses and certifications to members of said profession.
As stated in the Statement of Motives of the referenced Act No. 9, supra, the legislative intent was due to the genuine effort of these Legislative Houses for the purpose of having same "result in a better utilization of the existing nursing resources, in harmony with the health needs of our people, and the new developments in the health system (...). Same shall provide for excellence and quality in the rendering of nursing services."
In our jurisdiction, the majority of the professions are duly regulated. For these purposes, this Legislature has approved laws that set forth the approval of revalidation examinations for numerous professions, granting a definite number of opportunities to licensing candidates by statute. To wit, attorneys have six (6) opportunities to approve the revalidation; physicians have five (5) opportunities, and engineers, architects, and surveyors have three (3) opportunities, among others.
As set forth by Act No. 9, supra, in its pertinent dispositions, candidates to licensing in this noble profession shall have a maximum of two (2) opportunities to approve the revalidation exam administered by the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners. Establishing a maximum of two (2) opportunities to approve the revalidation examination, while other similar dispositions in other examination board laws grant their candidates a larger number, is highly onerous and unfair.
The Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, acknowledging the great importance that the nursing health professionals have in our health system, amends the pertinent dispositions set forth in Section 8 of Act No. 9 of October 11, 1987, as amended, and does justice to the future nursing professionals, who are an essential part of the health of our people.
Section- Subsection
(d) of Section 8 of Act No. 9 of October 11, 1987, as amended, known as the "Act to Regulate the Practice of Nursing in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 8.-Board of Examiners - Faculties and Duties The Board shall have the following faculties and duties:
(a) ...
(d) It shall grant provisional licenses to female and male nurses from educational programs accredited by the Council of Higher Education, as pertinent. The provisional license shall be in effect until the candidate has approved the examinations. The candidate shall have up to four (4) consecutive opportunities to approve the examinations, pursuant to the date of summons to examination by the Board and the provisions set forth in § 203m of this title. The Board shall cancel the provisional license after these four (4) opportunities. $\qquad$
(q) ..." Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 81 (S.B. 1848) of the $5^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend subsection
(d) of Section 8 of Act No. 9 of October 11, 1987, as amended, known as the "Act to Regulate the Practice of Nursing in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," for the purpose of increasing the number of opportunities that aspirants to exercise the practice of the nursing profession may take the revalidation examination offered by the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners of Puerto Rico; and other purposes, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $18^{ ext {st }}$ of February of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director