Reports of adverse incidents by advanced practice registered nurses.

(1) An advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123 must report an adverse incident to the department in accordance with this section.

(2) The report must be in writing, sent to the department by certified mail, and postmarked within 15 days after the occurrence of the adverse incident if the adverse incident occurs when the patient is in the direct care of the advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123. If the adverse incident occurs when the patient is not in the direct care of the advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123, the report must be postmarked within 15 days after the advanced practice registered nurse discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, the occurrence of the adverse incident.

(3) For purposes of this section, the term “adverse incident” means an event over which the advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123 could exercise control and which is associated in whole or in part with a nursing intervention, rather than the condition for which such intervention occurred, and which results in any of the following patient injuries:

(a) Any condition that required the transfer of a patient from the practice location of the advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123 to a hospital licensed under chapter 395.

(b) A permanent physical injury to the patient.

(c) The death of the patient.

(4) The department shall review each report of an adverse incident and determine whether the adverse incident was attributable to conduct by the advanced practice registered nurse. Upon making such a determination, the board may take disciplinary action pursuant to s. 456.073.