§ 130A-40.1. Pilot program for nurse as health director. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 130A‑40.1.  Pilotprogram for nurse as health director.

(a)        NotwithstandingG.S. 130A‑40, a local board of health, after consulting with theappropriate county board of commissioners, and with the approval of theSecretary of Health and Human Services, may appoint a local health director whomeets the following education and experience requirements for that position:

(1)        Graduation from afour‑year college or university with a Bachelor of Science in Nursingdegree that includes a public health nursing rotation; or

(2)        A candidate with anRN but not a bachelors degree if the candidate has at least 10 years'experience, at least seven years of which must be in an administrative orsupervisory role, and of this seven years, at least five years must be at the agencyat which the candidate is an applicant for employment as local health director.

(b)        The Secretary ofHealth and Human Services may approve only one request under subsection (a) ofthis section, this section being designed as a pilot program concerningalternative qualifications for a local health director. The Secretary of Healthand Human Services shall report any approval under this section to the PublicHealth Study Commission.

(c)        All bachelors levelcandidates appointed under this section shall have a total of 10 years' publichealth experience, at least five years of which must be in a supervisorycapacity at the agency at which the candidate is an applicant for employment asa local health director. Bachelor of Science in Nursing candidates with apublic health rotation may use this BSN degree as credit for one year's publichealth experience.

(d)        In addition topossessing the qualifications required in this section, all Bachelor ofScience, Bachelor of Arts, or Registered Nurse candidates must complete atleast six contact hours of continuing education annually on the subject oflocal and State government finance, organization, or budgeting. The trainingmust be in a formal setting offered through the State or local government orthrough an accredited educational institution. This training is in addition toany other required training for local health director or other continuingeducation required to maintain other professional credentials. If during thecourse of employment as local health director the employee meets therequirements of this subsection, the additional training requirements of thissection are waived. (2003‑284, s. 10.33C.)