CHAPTER 377
MIDWIFERY
Table of Contents
Sec. 20-86b. Scope of practice.
Sec. 20-86b. Scope of practice. A clinical practice relationship shall exist between
each nurse-midwife and an obstetrician-gynecologist and shall be based upon mutually
agreed upon medical guidelines and protocols. Such protocols shall be in writing and
contain a list of medications, devices and laboratory tests that may be prescribed, dispensed or administered by the nurse-midwife. Such protocols shall be provided to the
Department of Public Health upon request of the department. The term "directed" does
not necessarily imply the physical presence of an obstetrician-gynecologist while care
is being given by a nurse-midwife. Each nurse-midwife shall sign the birth certificate
of each infant delivered by the nurse-midwife. A nurse-midwife may make the actual
determination and pronouncement of death of an infant delivered by the nurse-midwife
provided: (1) The death is an anticipated death; (2) the nurse-midwife attests to such
pronouncement on the certificate of death; and (3) the nurse-midwife or a physician
licensed pursuant to chapter 370 certifies the certificate of death not later than twenty-four hours after such pronouncement.
(P.A. 83-441, S. 2, 10; P.A. 89-389, S. 8, 22; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 04-221, S. 28; P.A.
05-272, S. 19.)
History: P.A. 89-389 added the description of the protocols and required that they be filed with the department of health
services; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services,
effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with
Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 04-221 authorized nurse-midwife to make
determination and pronouncement of death under certain conditions; P.A. 05-272 made a technical change and required
protocols to be in writing and provided to Department of Public Health upon request, rather than filed with department,
effective July 13, 2005.