News  BORIM Shares Guidance for Nursing Practice by Graduates and Students in Their Last Semester of Nursing Education Programs

Wakefield — A new Massachusetts law, Chapter 88 of the Acts of 2024, authorizes graduates of an approved nursing program and individuals who are nursing students attending the last semester of an approved nursing program to practice nursing prior to obtaining licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. 

The Department of Public Health has issued the following Guidance for Nursing Practice by graduates and students in their last semester of nursing programs.   If this is relevant to your practice, you are urged to read the complete guidance document.

Some highlights of the guidance include:

• Graduates or students may only provide health care services at the direction of a licensed health care facility or a licensed health care provider.
• Graduates or students may not practice under this authorization, prior to obtaining a nursing license, for more than one year from the date of hire.
• The directing licensed health care provider must obtain independent verification and/or official documentation from the nursing education program, ensure that patients are informed that such individuals are nursing graduates or students, and provide direct supervision.
• “Direct supervision”  means the supervising licensed nurse must be physically present in the health care practice setting and readily available.

Downloads

Guidance for Nursing Practice by Graduates and Students in Their Last Semester of Nursing Education Programs (PDF)

Guidance for Nursing Practice by Graduates and Students in Their Last Semester of Nursing Education Programs (DOCX)