(1) The confidential communications between a client and a registered nurse who is nationally certified as a specialist in psychiatric and mental health nursing and who is practicing in that specialty are considered equivalent to the confidential communications between a patient and a licensed physician practicing as a psychiatrist, under laws addressing privilege and confidentiality and shall have the same protections accorded to patient-psychiatrist communications under § 24-1-207.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent disclosure of confidential communications in proceedings arising under title 37, chapter 1, part 4, concerning mandatory child abuse reports, or in proceedings arising under title 71, chapter 6, part 1, concerning mandatory adult abuse reports.