Chap. 321.—An ACT to provide for the training and licensing of attendants
for the sick under certain conditions. {H B 343]
Approved Murch 16, 1918.

Whereas, by reason of war conditions a serious shortage of nurses
is threatened; and,

Whereas, it is imperative for the public safety that the standards
of professional nursing should be maintained ;

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the State board of examiners of graduate nurses may, in its discre-
tion, authorize the establishment of centers of training for attendant:
for the sick; provide for the admission of persons applying for such
training; prescribe the kind and duration thereof, the examinatior
of persons completing the prescribed courses and the licensing of!
such persons to do such kind of nursing, public and private, and fo
the period of one year as such license may designate.

9. The license fee at the first issuance of said license shall b
two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50), to be paid to the State board o:
examiners of graduate nurses.

The said license may be renewed by the said board annually, anc
the said board may revoke any license for cause after notice to th
holder thereof and opportunity to answer any charges that may b
preferred against such persons.

3. The said board of examiners of graduate nurses shall hav
general supervision of the attendants licensed by it, and may make
reasonable rules and regulations for the conduct and employment of
such attendants.

4. Any person who shall show to the satisfaction of the board
that he or she was engaged in the practice of the care of the sick as
an attendant undergraduate nurse, unregistered nurse or in any
capacity other than that of a licensed trained graduate or regis-
tered nurse at the time of the passage of this act may be granted
at the discretion of the said board a license as a licensed attendant
without passing an examination; provided application therefor shall
be made within six months after the passage of this act, and that
such application shall be accompanied by credentials of character
and extent of training or experience.

_5. All persons who have duly received licenses in accordance
with the provisions of this act shall be known and styled as licensed
attendants, and it shall be unlawful after six months from the
passage of this act for any person to advertise as or to assume the
title of licensed attendent or to use the abbreviation of L. A., or
any other words, letters or figures to indicate that the person using
the same is a licensed attendant, and any person violating this
provision of this section of this act shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor and punished by a fine of not more than one hundred
dollars ($100) for the first offense, and not more than two hundred
dollars ($200) for each subsequent offense.

5. This act shall be effective only until the first day of July,
nineteen hundred and twenty-two, at which time all the licenses
granted hereunder shall expire.

6. This act shall not be construed to affect existing laws in rela-
tion to the examination, registration, and licensing of professional
nurses,

7. An emergency existing in the present state of war, this act
shall be effective from its passage.