Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12. Professions and Occupations § 12-255-111. Requirements for advanced practice registered nurse registration--legislative declaration--advanced practice registry--rules

(1) The general assembly hereby recognizes that some registered professional nurses practicing pursuant to this part 1 have acquired additional preparation for advanced nursing practice and hereby determines that it is appropriate for the state to maintain a registry of those individuals. The registry shall be known as the “advanced practice registry”.

(2) The board shall establish the advanced practice registry and shall require that a registered professional nurse applying for registration on the advanced practice registry identify the nurse's role and population focus. The board shall establish reasonable criteria for designation of specific role and population foci based on currently accepted professional standards. A registered professional nurse who is included in the advanced practice registry has the right to use the title “advanced practice registered nurse” or, if authorized by the board, to use the title “certified nurse midwife”, “clinical nurse specialist”, “certified registered nurse anesthetist”, or “nurse practitioner”. These titles may be abbreviated as “A.P.R.N.”, “C.N.M.”, “C.N.S.”, “C.R.N.A.”, or “N.P.”, respectively. It is unlawful for any person to use any of the titles or abbreviations listed in this subsection (2) unless included in the registry and authorized by the board to do so.

(4) A nurse who meets the definition of advanced practice registered nurse and the requirements of section 12-255-112 may be granted prescriptive authority as a function in addition to those defined in section 12-255-104(10).

(5) An advanced practice registered nurse shall practice in accordance with the standards of the appropriate national professional nursing organization and have a safe mechanism for consultation or collaboration with a physician or, when appropriate, referral to a physician. Advanced practice registered nursing also includes, when appropriate, referral to other health-care providers.