33-21-121. Board of nursing; membership; appointment; qualifications; term of office; vacancies; removal.

(a) The board of nursing shall consist of seven (7) members to be appointed by the governor. Five (5) members shall be registered nurses, one (1) member shall be a licensed practical nurse and one (1) member shall be a representative of the public. Membership shall be restricted to no more than one (1) person who is associated with a particular agency, educational institution, corporation or other enterprise or subsidiary at one time. Membership shall represent various geographical areas of Wyoming.

(b) Each registered nurse member of the board shall be a resident of this state, licensed in good standing under the provisions of this act, currently engaged in the practice of nursing as a registered nurse and shall have had no less than five (5) years of experience as a registered nurse, at least three (3) of which immediately preceded appointment. Of the five (5) registered nurse members on the board, one (1) member shall have had at least two (2) years of experience in an administrative or teaching position in a nursing education program, one (1) member shall have had at least two (2) years of experience in administration in nursing service or public health nursing, one (1) member shall have at least two (2) years experience as an advanced practice registered nurse, and the remaining two (2) members shall be appointed from various areas of nursing.

(c) The practical nurse member shall be a resident of this state, licensed in good standing under the provisions of this act, currently engaged in the practice of nursing as a licensed practical nurse, and shall have had no less than five (5) years of experience as a licensed practical nurse, at least three (3) of which immediately preceded appointment.

(d) The representative of the public shall be a resident of this state who has attained the age of majority, is interested in consumer health concerns and shall not be nor ever have been licensed or employed as a provider of health care services or be enrolled or employed in any health related educational program.

(e) Members of the board shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years.

(f) The present members of the board holding office under the provisions of the Wyoming Nurse Practice Act as of July 1, 2005 shall serve as members for their respective terms.

(g) No member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms. The completion of an unexpired portion of a full term shall not constitute a full term for purposes of this subsection. Any board member initially appointed for less than a full term is eligible to serve for two (2) additional consecutive full terms.

(h) An appointee to a full term on the board shall be appointed by the governor prior to the expiration of a term of the member being succeeded and shall become a member of the board on the first day following the expiration date of the preceding term. Appointees to unexpired portions of full terms shall become members of the board on the day following the appointment. Each term of office shall expire at 12:00 midnight on the last day of February for the term of the appointment.

(j) A vacancy that occurs for any reason in the membership of the board shall be filled by the governor in the manner prescribed in the provisions of this act regarding appointments. A person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the unexpired portion of the term.

(k) The governor may remove any member from the board as provided in W.S. 9-1-202.