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Nebraska Regulation of Physicians

The Nebraska state regulations of physicians are found in R.R.S. Neb. § 38.  Pursuant to the statutes, no individual shall be issued a credential under the Uniform Credentialing Act until he or she has furnished satisfactory evidence to the department that he or she is of good character and has attained the age of nineteen years except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, rule, or regulation.  A credential may only be issued to a citizen of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted into the United States who is eligible for a credential under the Uniform Credentialing Act, or a nonimmigrant whose visa for entry, or application for visa for entry, is related to such employment in the United States[i]. 

The statutes provide that sections 38-2001 to 38-2062 shall be known and may be cited as the Medicine and Surgery Practice Act.  R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2001provides that the following classes of persons shall not be construed to be engaged in the unauthorized practice of medicine:

(1) Persons rendering gratuitous services in cases of emergency;

(2) Persons administering ordinary household remedies;

(3) The members of any church practicing its religious tenets, except that they shall not prescribe or administer drugs or medicines, perform surgical or physical operations, nor assume the title of or hold themselves out to be physicians, and such members shall not be exempt from the quarantine laws of this state;

(4) Students of medicine who are studying in an accredited school or college of medicine and who gratuitously prescribe for and treat disease under the supervision of a licensed physician;

(5) Physicians who serve in the armed forces of the United States or the United States Public Health Service or who are employed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or other federal agencies, if their practice is limited to that service or employment;

(6) Physicians who are licensed in good standing to practice medicine under the laws of another state when incidentally called into this state or contacted via electronic or other medium for consultation with a physician licensed in this state;

(7) Physicians who are licensed in good standing to practice medicine in another state but who, from such other state, order diagnostic or therapeutic services on an irregular or occasional basis, to be provided to an individual in this state, if such physicians do not maintain and are not furnished for regular use within this state any office or other place for the rendering of professional services or the receipt of calls;

(8) Physicians who are licensed in good standing to practice medicine in another state and who, on an irregular and occasional basis, are granted temporary hospital privileges to practice medicine and surgery at a hospital or other medical facility licensed in this state;

(9) Persons providing or instructing as to use of braces, prosthetic appliances, crutches, contact lenses, and other lenses and devices prescribed by a physician licensed to practice medicine while working under the direction of such physician;

(10) Dentists practicing their profession when licensed and practicing in accordance with the Dentistry Practice Act;

(11) Optometrists practicing their profession when licensed and practicing under and in accordance with the Optometry Practice Act;

(12) Osteopathic physicians practicing their profession if licensed and practicing under and in accordance with sections 38-2029 to 38-2033;

(13) Chiropractors practicing their profession if licensed and practicing under the Chiropractic Practice Act;

(14) Podiatrists practicing their profession when licensed and practicing under and in accordance with the Podiatry Practice Act;

(15) Psychologists practicing their profession when licensed and practicing under and in accordance with the Psychology Practice Act;

(16) Advanced practice registered nurses practicing in their clinical specialty areas when licensed under the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practice Act and practicing under and in accordance with their respective practice acts;

(17) Persons licensed or certified under the laws of this state to practice a limited field of the healing art, not specifically named in this section, when confining themselves strictly to the field for which they are licensed or certified, not assuming the title of physician, surgeon, or physician and surgeon, and not professing or holding themselves out as qualified to prescribe drugs in any form or to perform operative surgery;

(18) Persons obtaining blood specimens while working under an order of or protocols and procedures approved by a physician, registered nurse, or other independent health care practitioner licensed to practice by the state if the scope of practice of that practitioner permits the practitioner to obtain blood specimens; and

(19) Other trained persons employed by a licensed health care facility or health care service defined in the Health Care Facility Licensure Act or clinical laboratory certified pursuant to the federal Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967, as amended, or Title XVIII or XIX of the federal Social Security Act to withdraw human blood for scientific or medical purposes.

Furthermore, any person who has held or applied for a license to practice medicine and surgery in this state, and such license or application has been denied or such license has been refused renewal or disciplined by order of limitation, suspension, or revocation, shall be ineligible for the exceptions described in subdivisions (5) through (8) of this section until such license or application is granted or such license is renewed or reinstated.  Every act or practice falling within the practice of medicine and surgery as defined in section 38-2024 and not specially excepted in this section shall constitute the practice of medicine and surgery and may be performed in this state only by those licensed by law to practice medicine in Nebraska[ii].

Each applicant for a license to practice medicine and surgery shall:

(1) (a) Present proof that he or she is a graduate of an accredited school or college of medicine, (b) if a foreign medical graduate, provide a copy of a permanent certificate issued by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates that is currently effective and relates to such applicant or provide such credentials as are necessary to certify that such foreign medical graduate has successfully passed the Visa Qualifying Examination or its successor or equivalent examination required by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or (c) if a graduate of a foreign medical school who has successfully completed a program of American medical training designated as the Fifth Pathway and who additionally has successfully passed the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates examination but has not yet received the permanent certificate attesting to the same, provide such credentials as certify the same to the Division of Public Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;

(2) Present proof that he or she has served at least one year of graduate medical education approved by the board or, if a foreign medical graduate, present proof that he or she has served at least three years of graduate medical education approved by the board;

(3) Pass a licensing examination approved by the board covering appropriate medical subjects; and

(4) Present proof satisfactory to the department that he or she, within the three years immediately preceding the application for licensure, (a) has been in the active practice of the profession of medicine and surgery in some other state, a territory, the District of Columbia, or Canada for a period of one year, (b) has had at least one year of graduate medical education as described in subdivision (2) of this section, (c) has completed continuing education in medicine and surgery approved by the board, (d) has completed a refresher course in medicine and surgery approved by the board, or (e) has completed the special purposes examination approved by the board[iii].

Pursuant to R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2027, the department, with the recommendation of the board, may waive any requirement for more than one year of approved graduate medical education, as set forth in subdivision (2) of section 38-2026, if the applicant has served at least one year of graduate medical education approved by the board and if the following conditions are met:

(a) The applicant meets all other qualifications for a license to practice medicine and surgery;

(b) The applicant submits satisfactory proof that the issuance of a license based on the waiver of the requirement of more than one year of approved graduate medical education will not jeopardize the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state; and

(c) The applicant submits proof that he or she will enter into the practice of medicine in a health profession shortage area designated as such by the Nebraska Rural Health Advisory Commission immediately upon obtaining a license to practice medicine and surgery based upon a waiver of the requirement for more than one year of graduate medical education.

A license issued on the basis of such a waiver shall be subject to the limitation that the licensee continue in practice in the health profession shortage area and such other limitations, if any, deemed appropriate under the circumstances by the director, with the recommendation of the board, which may include, but shall not be limited to, supervision by a medical practitioner, training, education, and scope of practice.  After two years of practice under a limited license issued on the basis of a waiver of the requirement of more than one year of graduate medical education, a licensee may apply to the department for removal of the limitations.  The director, with the recommendation of the board, may grant or deny such application or may continue the license with limitations.  In addition to any other grounds for disciplinary action against the license contained in the Uniform Credentialing Act, the department may take disciplinary action against a license granted on the basis of a waiver of the requirement of more than one year of graduate medical education for violation of the limitations on the license.

An applicant for a license to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery based on a license in another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia shall meet the standards set by the board pursuant to section 38-126, except that an applicant who has not passed one of the licensing examinations specified in the rules and regulations but has been duly licensed to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery in some other state or territory of the United States of America or in the District of Columbia and obtained that license based upon a state examination, as approved by the board, may be issued a license by the department, upon the recommendation of the board, to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery[iv].

R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2036 provides that a physician locum tenens may be issued by the department, with the recommendation of the board, to an individual who holds an active license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in another state when circumstances indicate a need for the issuance of a physician locum tenens in the State of Nebraska.  A physician locum tenens may be issued for a period not to exceed ninety days in any twelve-month period.

In addition to the grounds for disciplinary action found in sections 38-178 and 38-179, a license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery or a license to practice as a physician assistant may be denied, refused renewal, limited, revoked, or suspended or have other disciplinary measures taken against it in accordance with section 38-196 when the applicant or licensee fails to comply with the provisions of section 71-603.01, 71-604, 71-605, or 71-606 relating to the signing of birth and death certificates[v].

Pursuant to R.R.S. Neb. § 38-140, every business credentialed under the Uniform Credentialing Act shall report to the department the name of every person without a credential that he or she has reason to believe is engaged in practicing any profession or operating any business for which a credential is required by the Uniform Credentialing Act.  The department may, along with other law enforcement agencies, investigate such reports or other complaints of unauthorized practice or unauthorized operation of a business.  The appropriate board may issue an order to cease and desist the unauthorized practice of such profession or unauthorized operation of such business as a measure to obtain compliance with the applicable credentialing requirements by the person or business prior to referral of the matter to the Attorney General for action.  For businesses that do not have a board, the department may issue such cease and desist orders. Practice of such profession or operation of such business without a credential after receiving a cease and desist order is a Class III felony.  Any person who desires to reinstate a credential after the date of expiration or from inactive to active status shall apply to the department for reinstatement.  The credential may be reinstated upon the receipt of evidence of meeting the renewal requirements, or the requirements specified under the practice act for the appropriate profession, which are in effect at the time the credential holder applies to regain active status and payment of reinstatement and renewal fees if applicable.

Furthermore, the department, with the recommendation of the appropriate board, may deny an application for reinstatement or may issue the credential subject to any of the terms of section 38-196 if the applicant has committed any of the acts set out in section 38-178.  A credential holder who elected to have his or her credential placed on lapsed status prior to December 1, 2008, may have the credential reinstated in accordance with this section[vi].

Except as otherwise provided in sections 38-1,119 to 38-1,123, a credential to practice a profession may be denied, refused renewal, or have other disciplinary measures taken against it in accordance with section 38-185 or 38-186 on any of the following grounds:

(1) Misrepresentation of material facts in procuring or attempting to procure a credential;

(2) Immoral or dishonorable conduct evidencing unfitness to practice the profession in this state;

(3) Abuse of, dependence on, or active addiction to alcohol, any controlled substance, or any mind-altering substance;

(4) Failure to comply with a treatment program or an aftercare program, including, but not limited to, a program entered into under the Licensee Assistance Program established pursuant to section 38-175;

(5) Conviction of (a) a misdemeanor or felony under Nebraska law or federal law, or (b) a crime in any jurisdiction which, if committed within this state, would have constituted a misdemeanor or felony under Nebraska law and which has a rational connection with the fitness or capacity of the applicant or credential holder to practice the profession;

(6) Practice of the profession (a) fraudulently, (b) beyond its authorized scope, (c) with gross incompetence or gross negligence, or (d) in a pattern of incompetent or negligent conduct;

(7) Practice of the profession while the ability to practice is impaired by alcohol, controlled substances, drugs, mind-altering substances, physical disability, mental disability, or emotional disability;

(8) Physical or mental incapacity to practice the profession as evidenced by a legal judgment or a determination by other lawful means;

(9) Illness, deterioration, or disability that impairs the ability to practice the profession;

(10) Permitting, aiding, or abetting the practice of a profession or the performance of activities requiring a credential by a person not credentialed to do so;

(11) Having had his or her credential denied, refused renewal, limited, suspended, revoked, or disciplined in any manner similar to section 38-196 by another state or jurisdiction based upon acts by the applicant or credential holder similar to acts described in this section;

(12) Use of untruthful, deceptive, or misleading statements in advertisements;

(13) Conviction of fraudulent or misleading advertising or conviction of a violation of the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act;

(14) Distribution of intoxicating liquors, controlled substances, or drugs for any other than lawful purposes;

(15) Violations of the Uniform Credentialing Act or the rules and regulations relating to the particular profession;

(16) Unlawful invasion of the field of practice of any profession regulated by the Uniform Credentialing Act which the credential holder is not credentialed to practice;

(17) Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the act;

(18) Failure to file a report required by section 38-1,124 or 38-1,125;

(19) Failure to maintain the requirements necessary to obtain a credential;

(20) Violation of an order issued by the department;

(21) Violation of an assurance of compliance entered into under section 38-1,108;

(22) Failure to pay an administrative penalty;

(23) Unprofessional conduct as defined in section 38-179; or

(24) Violation of the Automated Medication Systems Act[vii].

The statutes further provide that the department shall enforce the Uniform Credentialing Act and for that purpose shall make necessary investigations. Every credential holder and every member of a board shall furnish the department such evidence as he or she may have relative to any alleged violation which is being investigated.  Every credential holder shall report to the department the name of every person without a credential that he or she has reason to believe is engaged in practicing any profession or operating any business for which a credential is required by the Uniform Credentialing Act.  The department may, along with the Attorney General and other law enforcement agencies, investigate such reports or other complaints of unauthorized practice.  The appropriate board may issue an order to cease and desist the unauthorized practice of such profession or the unauthorized operation of such business as a measure to obtain compliance with the applicable credentialing requirements by the person prior to referral of the matter to the Attorney General for action.  Practice of such profession or operation of such business without a credential after receiving a cease and desist order is a Class III felony.  Any credential holder who is required to file a report of loss or theft of a controlled substance to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration shall provide a copy of such report to the department[viii].

 

[i] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-129.

[ii] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2025.

[iii] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2026.

[iv] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2034.

[v] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-2037.

[vi] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-147.

[vii] R.R.S. Neb. § 38-178.

[viii]R.R.S. Neb. § 38-1,124.


Inside Nebraska Regulation of Physicians