A. The director shall establish health regions and may modify and create new health regions as the director deems necessary.

B. A regional health officer shall provide medical oversight to school nurses in the regional health officer's region. A school nurse shall make reports relating to public health as the regional health officer in the school nurse's region requires.

C. As used in this section, "medical oversight" means advice and direction that is provided by a regional health officer or under the direction of a regional health officer to a school nurse, or a school nurse's designee, who performs nursing activities in a school setting.

History: 1953 Comp., § 12-34-4, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 359, § 4; 2017, ch. 87, § 6.

Cross references. — For district health officers generally, see 24-4-1 to 24-4-3 NMSA 1978.

The 2017 amendment, effective June, 16, 2017, provided additional duties for the secretary of health, provided duties for regional health officers, and defined "medical oversight" as used in this section; in the catchline, deleted "districts" and added "regions"; in Subsection A, after "shall establish health", deleted "districts" and added "regions", after "create new", deleted "ones" and added "health regions", and after "he", added "the director"; deleted former Subsections B through D, which related to district health officers", and added new Subsections B and C.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 39 Am. Jur. 2d Health § 16 et seq.

Personal liability of health officer, 24 A.L.R. 798.

39A C.J.S. Health and Environment §§ 3 to 17.