LA State Judge Rules Practice of IPM Not Within CRNAs Scope of Practice

After a long and difficult battle ASIPP is pleased to announce the favorable ruling of the 19th Judicial District Court, State of Louisiana Judge, Janice Clark. Judge Clark's ruling in the case between the Spine Dianostics Center of Baton Roughe, Inc. and Louisiana State Board of Nursing, holds that the practice of interventional pain management is not within a CRNAs scope of practice. The ruling provides the following:

1. The statement issued by the LSBN substantively expands the scope of practice for CRNAs into an area where they have not traditionally practiced, i.e. chronic or interventional pain management.
2. The practice of interventional pain management is not within a CRNAs scope of practice.
3. The practice of interventional pain management is solely the practice of medicine.
4. The opinion issued by the LSBN is an effort to substantively expand CRNA scope of practice and is an improper attempt at rule making.
5. A permanent injunction issue prohibiting the LSBN from enforcing the statement.
6. A permanent injunction issue prohibiting August Rantz, III from performing chronic interventional pain procedures in connection with the LSBN statement.
7. The LSBN shall remove the advisory opinion from its website.
8. The LSBN shall post the judgment of this Court on its website and publish it in the LSBN publication, The Examiner.
   

This is a great victory for not only Louisiana interventional pain physicians but all IPM physicians across the country. Over the past 2 and a half years ASIPP and LSIPP has worked closely with Spine Diagnostics through both financial support and expert witness testimony. ASA and LSA were also instrumental in the case and we are grateful for their contribution.

CRNA Ruling