Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-29
Mason May Ask Law
Easing Requirements
For Outside Nurses
Probe Planned to Find
II Registration Fee
Can Be Reduced

1t Registration Fee
Can Be Reduced
Commissioner Guy Mason said
yesterday it may be necessary to
ask action of Congress in order to
change nursing board requirements
60 q greater number Of nurses from
outside the District can practice
here during the emergency.
He made the announcement after
receiving an opinion from Corpora
ton Counsel Richmond B. Keech
assuring him that the $40 registra-
ton fee now required of nurses
cannot legally be abolished in Ger
tain instances under the present act
setting up the Nurses Examining
Board.
Mr.. Mason said he had approved
the opinion and sent it to the other
Commissioners, but expressed dis
appointment that it had not been
such as to permit greater relaxa-
ton of requirements under which
graduate nurses, both resident and
nonresident, are permitted to prac-
tice in the District.
Plans to Investigate Expense.
Recalling that the $40 fee is used
to pay the costs of the examining
board he said he planned to in
vestigate the functional expense CT
the board and that, if the fee could
be reduced, he would urge the Com
missioners to appeal to Congress to
amend existing legislation so as to
permit the reduction.
But the Commissioner FASTENED
to add that any recommendation
for a cut in the fee would be based
on the costs of the board, which
under law must be self-sustaining
He said further, however, that if
the fee can be cut in half with only
q proportionately small deficit in
the boards expenses, he might ask
the Commissioners to request au-
thority from Congress to make up
the difference during the emer-
gency.
Four Questions Raised.
In his request to Mr.. Keech, which
was based on conferences he had
had recently with the examining
board to discuss relaxation of nurs-
ing requirements. Mr.. Mason asked
an Interpretation of the act as it
pertained to these four questions:
l. Can the act be interpreted to
include graduates of schools of
nursing located in the District who
are registered in some State by ex-
animation?
2. Can the act be interpreted to
include graduates of accredited
schools of nursing located in some
foreign country?
3. Has the examining board the
authority to register nurses under
separate classified tions for less than
the $40 fee prescribed in the act for
a limited period?
4. Does the board have authority
to classify registrants as volunteer
registered nurses and emergency
temporary registered nurses?"
To the first question Mr.. Keech
replied in the affirmative.
I'm my opinion, he said, "a grad
uate of an accredited school of nurs-
ing located in the District of Column
bia, who has been admitted to prac-
tice in some other State or territory
after passing an examination. is
qualified to be registered here under
Section Of the act"
Opinion on Second Question.
His answer to Question was in
the negative. He gave it as his
opinion that Congress, in limiting
the qualifications for admission to
one who is registered as a nurse by
examination in another State or
territory, had in mind only those
registered in the territorial limits
OF the United States or its terri
tories"
Questions 3 and 4 grew out of the
examining board recent announce
ment that it was considering sug-
sestlons to permit volunteer regis
tered nurses and emergency tenn
porary registered nurses to come
into the field for active duty on a
licensed basis during the emergency
through, among other requirements
payment of So and Sc fees. respec-
lively.
10 the first of these, that regard
Ing fees, Mr. Keech gave the opinion
that the rule could not be relaxed
as it pertained to nurses who have
been licensed after examination to
practice in some other State or ter
ritory.
Congress Intent.
1T Is my opinion" he explained
that Congress intended that thev
TOO, are required to pay to the
treasurer of the board a registra-
ton fee of $40 for Section 4 spe-
cincally provides: That every nurse
desiring to register in the District
OF columbia shall paw to the
treasurer of said board So"
A negative answer also was given
IN the case of the fourth question
Mr.. keech pointed out that the act
speclncally prescribes the qualifca-
lions and conditions under which
the board has authority to register
an applicant, which were listed as
requirements for the applicant to
apply Tor registration to pass an
examination. to establish her age at
more than 81 or within six months
OF 1t, and to furnish evidence that
she is OF good moral character and
holds diploma from nurses,
training school accredited by the
board. ~
There is nothing in the act
which would authorize the board to
classify registrants, limit the powers
or privileges they have under the
act, or the period they can practice, )"
Mr.. Keech concluded.
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