Ohio legislation would allow registered nurses to pronounce death

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Recently proposed legislation would expand the power of registered nurses in the state and allow them to determine and pronounce death.

House Bill 314, which was also proposed at the tail end of last year’s legislative session, is meant largely to address doctor shortages in hospitals and hospice locations, according to staff for Ohio State Rep. Peter Ujvagi, the Toledo Democrat who sponsored the legislation. There’s widespread concern about the lack of primary care physicians — particularly in rural areas. Adding this power to nurses would avoid prolonged waits for physicians to arrive and pronounce death.

About 20 states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, have similar legislation.

Ohio’s version is one of a handful of nursing proposals in the legislature that try to expand the role of nurses in Ohio. Nursing groups think the bill with the best chance of passage is House Bill 206, which would allow advanced practice nurses to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances: highly addictive drugs like oxycodone and morphine. That bill, like others dealing with expansion of nurse’s power, remains in committee.

Doctors and hospital groups have typically resisted the expansion of nurses’ powers. Both the Ohio State Medical Association and Ohio Hospital Association have met with Rep. Ujvagi about the bill. The legislation could be changed so nurses would only determine and pronounce death in specific situations, such as when a doctor is not available. Another possible change would require registered nurses to consult with a doctor before pronouncing death.