The bill amends Chapter 5-34 of the General Laws regarding the practice of nurses, specifically addressing the safe administration of sedation. It establishes that registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), excluding licensed certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and RNs enrolled in approved nurse anesthesiology training programs, are prohibited from administering agents classified as general anesthetics, including propofol, Etomidate, sodium thiopental, methohexital, and volatile gases (e.g., sevoflurane, isoflurane, desflurane) for minimal, moderate, deep sedation, or general anesthesia for any diagnostic, therapeutic, or surgical procedures.

The bill allows RNs and APRNs to initiate, titrate, and bolus intravenous/intraosseous (IV/IO) agents in critical life-saving situations requiring immediate airway management (such as rapid sequence intubation) or to maintain sedation for tracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated patients, provided they are acting within their scope of practice and are approved by their governing body.

In emergency situations where there is an imminent threat to life or limb, RNs and APRNs may administer anesthetic medications to preserve patient life, including in cases of cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, as long as they are acting within their scope of practice and approved by their governing body.

The bill also includes similar provisions in Chapter 5-34.2, reiterating the restrictions on RNs and non-CRNA APRNs regarding the administration of general anesthetics. It emphasizes that in critical care settings (such as emergency rooms and intensive care units), RNs and APRNs may administer and titrate anesthetics for patients who are tracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated, provided they are acting within their approved scope of practice. The act is set to take effect upon passage.