tions on all written agreements between nurse mid
wives and physicians The Committee is composed
of three nurse-midwives, appointed by the State
Board of Nursing, and three physicians, appointed
by the State Board of Physician Quality Assurance
Committee members serve three year terms (Code
Health Occupations Article, sec 8-503)

NURSE PRACTITIONER JOINT COMMITTEE

Vacancy, Chaw

The Nurse Practitioner Joint Committee was
created in 1981 The Committee reviews written
agreements between nurse practitioners and physi
clans The Committee then makes recommends
tions to the State Board of Physician Quality
Assurance and the State Board of Nursing
The Committee has six members Three are
appointed by the State Board of Physician Quality
Assurance and three by the State Board of Nursing

NURSE PRACTITIONER PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE

Janice Wilson, R.N , C R N P , Chair

Organized in 1981, the Nurse Practitioner Peer
Review Committee oversees the use of health in
surance and medical assistance benefits by certified
nurse practitioners The Committee, appointed by
the State Board of Nursing, has ten nurse practitio
ners representing all nurse practitioner specialties
(Code Health Occupations Article, sec 8 503)

NURSE PSYCHOTHERAPIST PEER REVIEW
ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mickie Cnmone, R N , C S P , Chair

The Nurse Psychotherapist Peer Review Advisory
Committee was formed in 1991 The Committee
advises the State Board of Nursing on the practice of
psychotherapy by clinical specialists in psychiatric and
mental health nursing The Committee also oversees
the use of health insurance and medical assistance
benefits by clinical specialists-psychiatry

PRACTICE ISSUES COMMITTEE

Ann K. Sober, R.N , Chair

Established in 1985, the Practice Issues Corn
mittee meets monthly to study specific practice
issues referred to it by the State Board of Nursing
The Committee's twelve members are assisted by
consultant members as needed

REHABILITATION COMMITTEE no 1

Patricia Miedusiewski, R N , Chair

REHABILITATION COMMITTEE no 2

Anne B George, R N , Chair

The Rehabilitation Committee was authorized
in 1988 as a nonpunitive alternative to the State
Board of Nursmg's disciplinary process (Chapter
508, Acts of 1988) Nurses whose job performance
is impaired by drugs, alcohol, or mental illness may

participate in the Rehabilitation Program upon
recommendation of the Committee In 1992, a
second committee was established to handle the
volume of nurses referred to the Program
The State Board of Nursing selects each corn
mittee's five members who are licensed registered
nurses with expertise in the field of chemical de-
pendency or psychiatric nursing One member is a
licensed practical nurse, and one, a consumer
knowledgeable in the field of chemical dependency
(Code Health Occupations Article, sec 8 208)

RN TO B S N VALIDATION COMMITTEE

Lesley Perry, R N , Ph D , Chair

The R.N to B S N Validation Committee was
formed in 1993 to promote education for nurses The
Committee administers a statewide program to guar-
antee the transfer of credit for registered nursing pro
grams from community colleges to universities leading
to the bachelor of science in nursing degree To make
these programs compatible, the Committee develops
a model for nursing education in the State and approves
nursing curricula according to this model

PN TOADN VALIDATION COMMITTEE

Margaret DeStefams, R N , Chair

In 1993, the PN to A D N Validation Corn
mittee began to promote career advancement for
practical nurses The Committee directs a statewide
program to link hospital training programs for
licensed practical nurses to community college pro
grams leading to an associate degree in nursing
The Committee develops a model for nursing edu
cation in the State and approves nursing curricula
accordingly so that coursework is not repeated

STATE BOARD OF PHYSICIAN
QUALITY ASSURANCE

Israel H Wemer, M D , Chair, 1996
J Michael Compton, Executive Director

4201 PattersonAve
Baltimore, MD 21215—0095 (410) 764 4777
toll free 1-800-492 6836

In Maryland, authority to license physicians was
granted first to the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty
of the State of Maryland in their charter of 1798
(Chapter 105, Acts of 1798) From 1798 to 1838,
the Faculty examined candidates, issued licenses upon
payment of a fee, and prosecuted unlicensed doctors
The petitions of botanic medical practitioners influ
enced the legislature to pass a law in 1838 allowing
any person to collect fees for medical services per
formed, which effectively ended the licensing of doc
tors until 1888 (Chapter 281, Acts of 1838)
The State Board of Health then licensed all
physicians (Chapter 429, Acts of 1888) In 1892,