Purpose
The purpose of the rule revisions is to conform the rules and Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan format to changes made by the 2006 Florida Legislature in Chapter 2006-71 and Chapter 2006-192, Laws of Florida; to clarify language regarding financial instability; to revise the Affidavit of Compliance with Screening Requirement form to add level 2 screening and annual submission as required in Section 435.04, F.S.; to delete the requirement for providing the names and license numbers of independent contractors with the renewal applications; to delete the requirement for insurance since there is no legal authority; to add the law regarding assistance with medications to the laws given to independent contractors; and to include that physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners may order medications for patients, as permitted in 2005-243, Laws of Florida. The effect will be updated rules with uniform licensure procedures that conform to state laws; a revised Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan format that includes the means by which the same type and quantity of services will be provided to patients evacuated to special needs shelters; an updated Affidavit of Compliance with Screening Requirement form for administrators to attest to completion of both level 1 and 2 screening for staff as required in law; a decrease in the items required to be submitted with applications for licensure due to the elimination of the requirement to submit proof of insurance and the elimination of the requirement to submit information on independent contractors with renewal applications; a corrected 59A-18.013 that includes orders from physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners as permitted in the 2005 changes to Section 400.506(17), F.S.; and the inclusion of the law on assistance with medication with the laws distributed to independent contractors.