WATERMAN, Justice.
In this appeal, we must decide whether the Iowa Board of Nursing and Iowa Department of Public Health exceeded their regulatory authority by enacting rules allowing advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) to supervise radiologic technologists using fluoroscopy machines. Several physician associations brought this court action against the nursing board and the department of public health to invalidate the rules. Two nursing associations intervened to defend the rules. The district court, on cross-motions for summary judgment, invalidated the rules after concluding that ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy has not been "recognized by the medical and nursing professions" within the meaning of Iowa Code section 152.1(6)(d) (2009), and the nursing board and the department of public health exceeded their authority in promulgating the rules. The nursing board and nursing associations appealed.
The Iowa legislature expressly granted the nursing board interpretive authority as to chapter 152. See Iowa Code § 147.76. In Renda v. Iowa Civil Rights Commission, we recognized that such a grant of interpretive authority requires deferential review of the agency's interpretation of the statute and its application of law to fact. 784 N.W.2d 8, 11 (Iowa 2010). By contrast, without a legislative grant of interpretive authority to the agency, we interpret the statute de novo, as is exemplified in our opinion in Iowa Dental Ass'n v. Iowa Insurance Division, 831 N.W.2d 138, ___ (Iowa 2013). Applying Renda, we conclude that the nursing board's application of law to fact is not irrational, illogical,
We begin with an overview before a more detailed discussion of the record. The challenged rules are Iowa Administrative Code rules 655 — 7.2(2), adopted by the nursing board, and 641 — 41.1(5)(n), adopted by the department of public health. The rulemaking process preceding adoption of these rules generated extensive public comments supporting and opposing the rules as proposed. Supporters advocated adoption of the rules to improve access to healthcare (particularly in rural areas), enhance the safety of certain procedures, lower costs, and clarify the authority for existing practices ongoing for many years in parts of Iowa, which had been approved by various hospital credentialing committees staffed in part by physicians. Those opposed to the rules cited concerns with whether ARNPs were adequately educated and trained in radiation safety to supervise radiologic technologists, as well as other safety concerns, albeit without documenting a single injury attributable to an ARNP-supervised fluoroscopy procedure. The rules were adopted by the nursing board and the department of public health in June 2009 and April 2010, respectively. No objection to the rules was raised by the legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC), the governor, or the attorney general. Proposed legislation to nullify the rules failed in 2010. The battle moved to the courtroom.
On June 21, 2010, petitioners Iowa Medical Society and Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists filed petitions for judicial review against the nursing board and the department of public health. The district court granted motions to intervene by the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association opposing the rules, and by the Iowa Nurses Association and Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists supporting the rules. The district court invalidated both rules by summary judgment. The nursing board, Iowa Nurses Association, and Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists appealed. The department of public health did not appeal.
We will now undertake a more detailed review of the agency record upon which our decision is based.
The nursing board and the department of public health noted the ARNPs who were currently supervising fluoroscopic procedures may have been acting within the scope of their practice under the then-existing rules, but recognized those rules were unclear. The rule existing at that time provided that "[t]he use of fluoroscopic X-ray systems by radiologic technologists and students shall be performed under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner of the healing arts for the purpose of localization to obtain images for diagnostic purposes." Iowa Admin. Code r. 641 — 41.1(5)(l)(2) (2008). "Licensed practitioner of the healing arts" is not included in the definition section in chapter 41; however, individual definitions for "licensed practitioner" and "healing arts" appear in an earlier chapter's definitions. See id. r. 641 — 38.2. Although found in a different chapter, these definitions apply to the rules found in several later chapters, including chapter 41. See id. ("As used in these rules, these terms have the definitions set forth below and are adopted by
"Healing arts" is broadly defined in chapter 38 as
Id. (emphasis added). The term "licensed practitioner" is more narrowly defined as
Id. Nurse practitioners are not mentioned in this definition. Thus, supervision of fluoroscopy procedures performed by radiologic technologists was not within the scope of practice for ARNPs under the definitions contained in chapter 38 and applicable to the rule found in chapter 41.
On December 15, the nursing board made a finding that the scope of practice for ARNPs includes the ability "to order, perform, supervise and interpret x-ray tests [including fluoroscopy] for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment." The nursing board's finding garnered support from the Iowa Hospital Association,
The discussions and debate continued for another three years. The department of public health noticed a proposed amendment to its subrule 41.1(5) in early 2007, but rescinded the proposed rule after receiving considerable opposition from physicians' groups.
1. The nursing board's rulemaking procedure. The nursing board published its notice of intended action for its rule on April 22, 2009. The comment period for the rule was left open until June 3. Comments in support of the rule were received from several organizations, including the Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Iowa Nurse Practitioner Committee, the Iowa Hospital Association, and the Iowa Nurses Association. The nursing board also received comments in support of the rule from certified registered nurse anesthetists, hospitals, radiologic technologists, and physicians.
The Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists noted ways the rule will enhance patient safety and access to health care, and observed the absence of any reported injuries from ARNP-supervised fluoroscopy. The Iowa Hospital Association's letter of support for the rule noted that "[t]he proposed amendment would assure that ARNPs receive initial training in radiation physics, radiobiology, radiological safety and radiation management and additional annual training on time, dose, shielding and the effects of radiation." The nursing board also received supporting comments in letters from rural hospitals regarding their existing reliance on the supervision of fluoroscopy by a subspecialty of ARNPs. The Iowa Nurses Association observed the rule reflected existing practice.
The nursing board received comments in opposition from the board of medicine and several physicians' organizations, including the Polk County Medical Society, American Society of Radiologic Technologists,
The professor at Trinity College expressed her concern that ARNPs, who "receive
The Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists' objection focused on "the proposed rule['s] attempts to expand nursing practice into the area of chronic interventional pain medicine, a highly specialized field that constitutes the practice of medicine," and which involves life-threatening risks because it requires "[p]lacement of needles in proximity to vital spinal and vascular structures under fluoroscopic guidance." Accordingly, the Society contended that "[i]f complications do arise, the physician must know how to respond correctly and immediately in order to avoid a disastrous outcome. Failure to understand any of the above can ultimately lead to paralysis, stroke, or death." The Society also disputed proponents' contention that this expansion was necessary to ensure patients in rural areas had access to chronic-pain medicine: "No deprivation exists for any patient in Iowa with regard to access to chronic pain medicine, because no Iowan lives more than two hours from a physician board certified in pain medicine." The Society further disputed the proponents' assertion that ARNPs have been supervising fluoroscopy for over twenty years, noting that "most procedures currently being taught within accredited pain medicine fellowships did not exist in their current forms prior to this decade." A physician downplayed the safety record of fluoroscopy by warning that it may take years for cancer to manifest from radiation exposure.
A public hearing for the rule was held on June 3. Twenty-two people attended the hearing, including representatives from the Iowa Nurses Association, the Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Radiological Society, the Iowa Medical Society, and the board of medicine. The nursing board's notice of the adoption and filing of ARC 7888B summarized the commentary from the public hearing as follows:
The nursing board adopted rule ARC 7888B on June 10 and published the rule on July 1, with an effective date of August 5. The rule as promulgated provides:
Iowa Admin. Code r. 655 — 7.2(2) (2009). The following definition of "supervision" appeared in Iowa Administrative Code rule 641-42.1(2) at the time the nursing board adopted its rule:
Id. r. 641 — 42.1(2).
2. The department of public health's rulemaking procedure. The department of public health published notice of ARC 8161B on September 23, 2009. The proposed rule rescinded Iowa Administrative Code rule 641 — 41.1(5)(l)(2) and enacted rule 641 — 41.1(5) (n) in its place. The comment period for the rule was left open until December 7, during which time the department of public health received comments in support of the rule from organizations, including the Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Iowa Hospital Association, rural clinics, and individual health care practitioners such as certified registered nurse anesthetists, doctors of osteopathy, physicians, and radiologic technologists. In a letter dated May 4, 2010, setting forth a concise statement regarding its adoption of rule 641 — 41.1(5)(n), the department of public health summarized the comments it received in support of the proposed rule as follows:
The department of public health received comments in opposition to the rule from the board of medicine, the Iowa Medical Society, the Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists, the Society of Interventional Radiology, the American College of Radiology, and the Iowa Radiologic Society, as well as from individual radiologic technologists, physicians, and professors. The department of public health summarized these comments in its concise statement:
The department of public health held a public hearing for the rule on October 28, 2009. Representatives from professional organizations on both sides of the issue attended, as did representatives from the boards of nursing and medicine. Rule ARC 8161B was adopted at a hearing held on March 10, 2010. At that time, the nursing board described the results of its survey of the use of fluoroscopy by ARNPs in Iowa. The nursing board mailed 1459 letters to ARNPs and received 387 responses from ARNPs practicing in Iowa; forty-three reported that they use fluoroscopy in their practice. These forty-three ARNPs who use fluoroscopy in their practice reported the length of their use as follows:
0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years >20 years 33 4 3 0 3
The department of public health published its rule on April 7, with an effective date of May 12. This rule provides:
Iowa Admin. Code r. 641 — 41.1(5)(n).
According to its concise statement regarding the adoption of this rule, the department of public health identified the following as its principal reasons for overruling the opposition's concerns with the rule:
3. Legislative and executive review. The legislature's ARRC met on July 14, 2009, and reviewed the nursing board's adopted rule ARC 7888B. The ARRC made a "general referral" of the rule to the general assembly, which means the ARRC recommended the rule be considered by the entire general assembly. See Iowa Code § 17A.8(7). The "general referral"
Although permitted to do so pursuant to Iowa Code section 17A.4(6)(a), neither the governor, attorney general, nor the ARRC filed an objection with the nursing board or the department of public health alleging that either rule was "unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise beyond the authority delegated to the agency." Similarly, the governor did not exercise his ability to "rescind [the] adopted rule[s] by executive order" as provided for in section 17A.4(8).
Legislation was later proposed to overturn these rules. Senate Study Bill 3085 would have prevented ARNPs from using fluoroscopy in pain management. See S.S.B. 3085, 83rd G.A., 2d sess., explanation (Iowa 2010) ("This bill specifically defines the practice of chronic interventional pain medicine and the techniques used in that practice. The bill limits the practice of interventional pain medicine to licensed physicians, podiatrists, or dentists."). House File 2136 would have prevented ARNPs from providing chronic pain management intervention to patients. H.F. 2136, 83rd G.A., 2d sess. (Iowa 2010). House Joint Resolution 2006 would have nullified the nursing board's rule.
Meanwhile, the district court granted motions to intervene in support of the rules filed by the Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the Iowa Nurses Association, respectively, in the consolidated action. The Iowa Nurses Association is a statewide, nonprofit organization representing registered nurses licensed to practice in Iowa. The Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists is a statewide organization that represents certified registered nurse anesthetists licensed to practice in Iowa. The district court also granted a motion to intervene in opposition to the rules filed by the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association, a statewide, nonprofit organization that represents osteopathic physicians licensed to practice in Iowa.
The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The district court held a hearing on the motions for summary judgment on September 9, 2011. After finding
The district court also invalidated the department of public health's rule as promulgated on "the mistaken impression that [the nursing board's] action in expanding the scope of practice for ARNPs was a legitimate exercise of its statutory authority."
Citing to Iowa Code section 136C.3, the district court also found that the department of public health could not delegate its duty to "establish minimum criteria and safety standards, including continuing education requirements, and administer examinations and disciplinary procedures for operators of radiation machines and users of radioactive materials," to the nursing board. Accordingly, the district court concluded that ARNPs could only provide "`direct supervision' of fluoroscopy as the term is defined within the Iowa Administrative Code, [if] they ... satisfy minimum education and safety standards, including continuing education requirements and an examination established by the Iowa Department of Public Health."
The nursing board and intervenors supporting the rule appealed. We retained the appeal.
Judicial review of agency rulemaking is governed by Iowa Code chapter 17A. Auen v. Alcoholic Beverages Div., 679 N.W.2d 586, 589 (Iowa 2004). "[T]he district court acts in an appellate capacity." City of Sioux City v. GME, Ltd., 584 N.W.2d 322, 324 (Iowa 1998). "We review the district court's decision to determine whether it correctly applied the law." Id. The agency decision is reviewed under section 17A.19(10). Auen, 679 N.W.2d at 589. We apply that section to determine whether we reach the same result as the district court. Id. The legislature has clearly vested the nursing board with rulemaking and interpretive authority for Iowa Code chapter 152 governing the practice of nursing. See Iowa Code § 147.76 ("The boards for the various professions shall adopt all necessary and proper rules to administer and interpret this chapter and chapters 148 through 158, except chapter 148D." (Emphasis added.)); Renda, 784 N.W.2d at 11 ("The question of whether interpretive discretion has clearly been vested in an agency is easily resolved when the agency's
Accordingly, the following standards in section 17A.19(10) for judicial review of agency rulemaking are applicable here:
Iowa Code § 17A.19(10).
Because the issues decided are legal in nature, we will review the district court's summary judgment as though it were a ruling on the merits in a judicial review action. See GME, 584 N.W.2d at 324-25. "`An agency rule is presumed valid and the party challenging the rule has the burden to demonstrate that a "rational agency" could not conclude the rule was within its delegated authority.'" Id. at 325 (quoting Overton v. State, 493 N.W.2d 857, 859 (Iowa 1992)); see also Iowa Code § 17A.19(8)(a) ("[I]n suits for judicial review of agency action ... [t]he burden of demonstrating ... the invalidity of agency action is on the party asserting invalidity.").
Our review is "controlled in large part by the deference we afford to decisions of administrative agencies." Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist. v. Pease, 807 N.W.2d 839, 844 (Iowa 2011). In this case, the legislature's express grant of interpretive authority dictates a deferential standard of review that requires reversing the district court and upholding the rules promulgated by the nursing board and the department of public health. See Renda, 784 N.W.2d at 11.
The parties challenging the rules argue, and the district court ruled, the "medical profession" has not "recognized" ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy. Who speaks for the medical profession as to such recognition? The Iowa Board of Medicine, Iowa Medical Society, Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists, and Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association all deny the medical profession has recognized ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy. Do they effectively have a veto over such a determination by the Board charged under Iowa law with the regulation of nursing? Intervenor Iowa Nurses Association argues no such veto should be allowed:
Our court has not interpreted section 152.1(6)(d). But, the Office of the Iowa Attorney General addressed a related question in an opinion issued shortly after the enactment of this statute. In 1976, the executive director of the nursing board asked the Iowa Attorney General to give an opinion as to "whether [the] board may define by rule those groups who are to define nursing practice for submission to the board." 1976 Op. Iowa Att'y Gen. 727. The attorney general provided the following opinion regarding the interpretation of the nursing board's authority under section 152.1(6)(d):
Id. at 728-29 (emphasis added).
We agree with the attorney general's reasoning. The plain language of section 152.1(6)(d) allows the nursing board to decide whether the medical and nursing professions have recognized a particular practice of nurses. If the legislature had intended to give another agency or organization the power to determine recognition by the medical profession, it would have said so in this provision. See Auen, 679 N.W.2d at 589 ("We determine legislative intent from the words chosen by the legislature, not what it should or might have said."). We conclude the nursing board could apply section 152.1(6)(d) to determine that ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy is "recognized by the medical and nursing professions" despite the opposition of the board of medicine and physician organizations. In light of the legislature's express grant of interpretive authority to the nursing board, we are to uphold the board's application of law to fact in this determination unless it is "irrational, illogical, or wholly unjustifiable." Iowa Code § 17A.19(1)(l); see Auen, 679 N.W.2d at 590; see also Renda, 784 N.W.2d at 11 ("The amendments to chapter 17A clarified when the court should give deference to an agency's interpretation of law." (citing Arthur Earl Bonfield, Amendments to Iowa Administrative Procedure Act, Report on Selected Provisions to Iowa State Bar Association and Iowa State Government 62 (1998))). Applying this deferential standard of review, we conclude the district court erred by reversing the nursing board's determination.
The agency record shows that the credentialing committees, which include physicians, at sixteen or more Iowa hospitals had granted privileges to ARNPs to supervise fluoroscopy. See Iowa Code § 135B.7(3) (setting forth the criteria that must be included in the hospital's rules governing the granting of clinical privileges to practitioners including ARNPs). Moreover, forty Iowa medical doctors wrote comments supporting the nursing board's proposed rule. And, the board of medicine had never sought to enjoin any ARNP from supervising fluoroscopy as practicing medicine without a license, even though ARNPs had been doing so openly in Iowa for up to twenty years. We hold it was not irrational, illogical, or wholly unjustifiable for the nursing board to determine that ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy
A different standard of review explains the result in Spine Diagnostics Center of Baton Rouge, Inc. v. Louisiana State Board of Nursing, 4 So.3d 854, 867-68 (La.Ct.App.2008) (affirming declaratory judgment enjoining nursing board from allowing certified registered nurse anesthetists to practice interventional pain management). There, the appellate court reviewed the trial court's declaratory ruling for abuse of discretion and the factual findings of the trial court (not the nursing board) under a "manifest error or clearly wrong standard." Id. at 863.
The dispositive question is whether an ARNP who "directly supervises" the use of fluoroscopy is an "operator" of a radiation machine. The nursing board's rule permits ARNPs "to provide direct supervision in the use of fluoroscopic X-ray equipment, pursuant to 641 — subrule 42.1(2), definition of `supervision.'" Iowa Admin. Code r. 655 — 7.2(2). That rule defines "supervision" as follows:
Id. r. 641 — 42.1(2) (2008) (emphasis added).
The department of public health considered and rejected the position by the physician groups opposed to the rules. The department's concise statement regarding adoption of its rule specifically determined that the training for ARNPs was adequate for their supervisory role:
We believe the district court erred in second-guessing the department of public health and nursing board on the adequacy of ARNP training to supervise fluoroscopy. Significantly, nowhere in the voluminous record is there any report of an injury resulting from ARNP-supervised fluoroscopy, although the practice has been ongoing in parts of Iowa for many years. The record affirmatively shows ARNPs have been safely supervising fluoroscopy and are adequately trained to do so. The equipment at all times is operated by a licensed radiologic technician. The visual images provided by the fluoroscopy improve patient safety by guiding the precise placement of needles, insertion of PICC lines, location of foreign objects, and other procedures. Importantly, allowing ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy improves access to health care for rural Iowans and helps lower costs. We cannot conclude the agency rulemaking was irrational, illogical, or wholly unjustifiable.
These regulatory judgments fall within the scope of the authority and expertise of the nursing board and department of public health. The challengers failed to meet their "burden to demonstrate that a `rational agency' could not conclude the rule was within its delegated authority." GME, 584 N.W.2d at 325 (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
For the foregoing reasons, we hold the district court erred in invalidating the agency rules that allow qualified ARNPs to supervise fluoroscopy. Accordingly, we reverse the summary judgment of the district court and remand for entry of an order lifting the stay and upholding Iowa Administrative Code rule 655 — 7.2(2) and rule 641 — 41.1(5)(n).
All justices concur except CADY, C.J., who dissents, and ZAGER, J., who takes no part.
CADY, Chief Justice (dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. I would affirm the decision of the district court.
Our legislature authorized the Iowa Board of Nursing (Board) to enact rules governing the nursing profession, including rules that address what constitutes the practice of the profession of a registered nurse. In addition to other acts, the Board may authorize registered nurses to
The question in this case is whether the nursing board properly found that the supervision of fluoroscopy by registered nurses is recognized by the medical profession as being proper for registered nurses to perform. The question is not whether the Board disagrees or agrees with the medical profession, but whether the medical profession approves the procedure as proper for registered nurses.
The medical profession clearly does not approve the procedure at issue. Every Iowa medical professional society, board, or association that has weighed in on the question in this case has concluded the procedure should not be approved for registered nurses. The evidence to the contrary is merely anecdotal and basically limited to some opinions from individual doctors, and evidence that numerous hospital credentialing committees in Iowa have credentialed individual registered nurses to supervise fluoroscopy. See Iowa Admin. Code r. 481 — 51.5(4).
There can be no doubt that the evidence in support of the Board action falls far short by any standard as a voice of the medical profession. Credentialing committees are not only comprised of physicians, but also include hospital administrators and medical staff personnel. Their collective voice is not the voice of the medical profession. Additionally, credentialing committees only address questions of the qualifications of individuals to perform particular procedures. A credentialing committee does not address the larger issues identified by the legislature in section 152.1(6) of whether the medical profession as a whole has approved a procedure as being properly performed by registered nurses.
Registered nurses may be qualified to supervise fluoroscopy. Yet, the legislature has left it for the medical profession to make this decision, in partnership with the nursing profession. The legislature, however, did not leave it to the nursing board to decide. The Board clearly acted well beyond its authority, contrary to a clear legislative directive.
ACR Technical Standard for Management of the Use of Radiation in Fluoroscopic Procedures Preamble 1 (Am. Coll. of Radiology) (rev.2008), available at http://www.acr.org/°/media/ACR/Documents/PGTS/standards/MgmtFluoroProcedures.pdf.
ARNPs utilize fluoroscopy in numerous procedures they perform within the scope of their practice, including peripheral insertion of an extended length intravenous central catheter (PICC line), swallow studies, foreign body location, precise needle location for procedures such as breast biopsy, and interventional pain management. Use of fluoroscopy in these procedures allows the ARNP to see the precise spot to inject the medicine or to insert the vascular device. If ARNPs were not permitted to supervise fluoroscopy, the procedure would either need to be done blind or by a physician or under the supervision of a physician.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 655-7.1. The board of nursing has recognized four different specialty areas of nursing practice for advanced registered nurse practitioners: certified clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse — midwifes, certified nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Id. r. 655-7.2(1).
H.J. Res.2006, 83rd G.A., 2d sess., explanation (Iowa 2010).
Iowa Code § 152.1(6) (emphasis added); see also id. § 152.1(5)(a) (excluding from the practice of nursing "[t]he practice of medicine and surgery and the practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery, as defined in chapter 148, ... except practices which are recognized by the medical and nursing professions and approved by the board as proper to be performed by a registered nurse" (emphasis added)). The Missouri Supreme Court has recognized the "`thin and elusive line that separates the practice of medicine and the practice of professional nursing in modern day delivery of health services.'" Mo. Ass'n of Nurse Anesthetists, Inc. v. State Bd. of Registration for the Healing Arts, 343 S.W.3d 348, 360 (Mo.2011) (quoting Sermchief v. Gonzales, 660 S.W.2d 683, 688 (Mo.1983)). The court noted that at least forty state legislatures, including Iowa's, have authorized "the broadening of the field of practice of the nursing profession." Sermchief, 660 S.W.2d at 690 & n. 6.