Committee hears brief support for allowing nurse practitioners to pronounce death

The Senate committee received brief, unanimous testimony supporting Senate Bill 43, which would authorize advanced practice registered nurses — including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists and clinical nurse specialists — to pronounce death for purposes of documenting the time, date and place of death.

Representative Summerfield and witnesses from nursing organizations said the measure aligns Wisconsin with at least 36 other states and would reduce delays in completing death records and ease burdens on families and emergency personnel. Gina Denic Champion of the Wisconsin Nurses Association, representing the association, said APRNs are educated and experienced in patient assessment and end‑of‑life care and that expanding authority would be particularly helpful in rural and underserved areas.

“I think the biggest thing … is helping the families grieve,” a witness said during testimony, describing how quicker completion of the pronouncement and record process can reduce additional stress.

Witnesses described no organized opposition. The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing.