Can a registered nurse perform a fine needle aspiration biopsy, shave biopsy or punch biopsy?

The nursing laws and rules allow a competent and appropriately trained registered nurse from performing a fine needle aspiration biopsy, shave biopsy, or punch biopsy. These procedures require a prescription from an authorized health care practitioner. The registered nurse should use the Scope of Practice Decision Tree to determine if these activities are within the nurse’s legal and individual scope of practice.