APRNs and authority to order holds
The Minnesota Commitment and Treatment Act defines examiner and health officer (see Minnesota Statute section 253B.02, subdivisions 7 and 9) and the authorities of each. Examiners are defined as:
- An APRN licensed in the population focus of psychiatric and mental health, or
- An APRN who is practicing in the emergency room of a hospital, so long as the hospital has a process for credentialing and re-credentialing any APRN acting as an examiner in an emergency room.
An examiner is authorized to issue an Examiner Emergency Hold (72-hour hold).
Any other APRN is considered a health officer. A health officer may exercise the peace or health officer authority (see Minnesota Statute section 235B.05, subd. 2.) The peace health officer authority is only a transport hold that allows a person to be taken to a treatment facility to be seen by an examiner to determine the need for an Examiner Emergency Hold Order.
