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HB 155

Death - As enacted, removes the limitation that a death must have been anticipated for a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death if a deceased was a patient or resident at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted-care living facility. - Amends TCA Title 68.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Hale

Tennessee law now permits registered nurses to pronounce patient deaths in healthcare facilities without requiring the death to have been anticipated.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 116
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Bill Summary · HB 155

Legislative bill overview

HB 155 expands the authority of registered nurses in Tennessee healthcare facilities to pronounce patients dead without requiring that the death be anticipated or expected. Previously, nurses could only make death pronouncements in cases where death was foreseeable; this bill removes that restriction entirely.

Why is this important

This change affects practical healthcare operations in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-care facilities by allowing nurses to formally pronounce death in unexpected or sudden death situations, potentially streamlining procedures and reducing delays in documentation and family notification. It reflects evolving medical practice where nurses often have primary patient contact and can assess vital signs more immediately than physicians.

Potential points of contention

  • Physician authority concerns: Some medical professionals may view death pronouncement as exclusively a physician function, raising questions about scope of practice boundaries and liability
  • Training and oversight standards: The bill doesn't specify what additional training, protocols, or quality assurance measures nurses must follow when pronouncing unexpected deaths
  • Liability and documentation: Unclear how responsibility is assigned if a nurse's death determination is later questioned, and whether this exposes facilities or nurses to increased legal risk

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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