An Act Regarding Anesthesia Care in Rural Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1166
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: CUSHING, FECTEAU, LANGLEY, VOLK, AUSTIN, BATES, HICKMAN, MASTRACCIO, POULIOT, STETKIS
Amends: 32 MRSA §2211

Legislative Document
No. 1166
S.P. 387
In Senate, March 23, 2017
An Act Regarding Anesthesia Care in Rural Maine
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CUSHING of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative FECTEAU of Biddeford and
Senators: LANGLEY of Hancock, VOLK of Cumberland, Representatives: AUSTIN of Gray, 
BATES of Westbrook, HICKMAN of Winthrop, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, POULIOT of 
Augusta, STETKIS of Canaan.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §2211 is enacted to read: 
§2211.  Nurse anesthetist; authority 
1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "Critical access hospital" has the same meaning as in Title 22, section 7932, 
subsection 10. 
B.  "Rural area" has the same meaning as in Title 22, section 5104, subsection 10. 
2.  Authority generally.  A certified registered nurse anesthetist is responsible and 
accountable to a licensed physician or dentist for aspects of anesthesia practice that 
require execution of the medical regimen as prescribed by that physician or dentist, 
except as provided in subsection 3. 
3.  Authority; critical access hospitals and rural hospitals.  In a critical access 
hospital or in a hospital located in a rural area, a certified registered nurse anesthetist 
may, in accordance with the bylaws and policies of the facility in which the certified 
registered nurse anesthetist is practicing, formulate and implement a patient-specific plan 
for anesthesia care, which may include: 
A.  A preanesthetic assessment; 
B.  Verification of informed consent; 
C.  Adjustments and corrective actions as indicated; 
D.  Ordering appropriate laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging tests in the 
preoperative period and immediate postoperative period; and 
E.  Ordering and prescribing prescription drugs in the preoperative period and 
immediate postoperative period in accordance with this paragraph.  For controlled 
substances listed in United States Drug Enforcement Administration Schedules III, 
IIIN, IV and V, a certified registered nurse anesthetist may prescribe drugs only: 
(1)  For a supply of not more than 4 days, with no prescription refills; and 
(2)  For an individual for whom the certified registered nurse anesthetist has, at 
the time of the prescription, established a client or patient record. 
Sec. 2.  Rules.  The State Board of Nursing shall adopt rules to implement this Act.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill permits certified registered nurse anesthetists in critical access hospitals and 
hospitals located in rural areas to conduct a preanesthetic assessment, verify informed 
consent, make indicated adjustments and corrections, order appropriate lab tests and 
diagnostic imaging tests and prescribe certain drugs.