SENATE, No. 3312

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 7, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes Chief Executive Nurse position in DOH.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act establishing a Chief Executive Nurse position in the Department of Health and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a. The Commissioner of Health shall appoint a chief executive nurse within the Department of Health who shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner during the commissioner's term of office and until the appointment of the Chief Executive Nurse’s successor.  The Chief Executive Nurse shall devote his or her entire time to the duties of the position.  The Chief Executive Nurse shall hold a master’s degree in nursing or higher and have significant work experience as a nurse.

     b.    It shall be the duty of the Chief Executive Nurse to:  assist the Commissioner of Health as necessary on matters pertaining to nursing; collect data and other information on nursing as determined by the Commissioner of Health; consult with nurses and health care facilities to determine which current or proposed regulations aide or impede nurses’ ability to provide adequate health care; and evaluate current trends in nursing.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill establishes a Chief Executive Nurse position within the Department of Health (DOH).

     Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) is to appoint a Chief Executive Nurse within the DOH who is to serve at the pleasure of the commissioner during the commissioner's term of office and until the appointment of the chief executive nurse’s successor.  The Chief Executive Nurse is to devote his or her entire time to the duties of the position.  The Chief Executive Nurse is to hold a master’s degree in nursing or higher and have significant work experience as a nurse.

     The bill provides that the duties of the Chief Executive Nurse will include:  assisting the commissioner as necessary on matters pertaining to nursing; collecting data and other information on nursing as determined by the commissioner; consulting with nurses and health care facilities to determine which current or proposed regulations aide or impede nurses’ ability to provide adequate health care; and evaluating current trends in nursing.