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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 17. BUSINESS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROFESSIONALS |
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Chapter 17-55. PRACTICAL NURSING |
Section 17-5599. DEFINITIONS
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5599.1As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings ascribed:
Act - Health Occupation Revision Act of 1985 ("Act"), effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code §§ 3-1201.01 et seq.) (2001).
Administrator for nursing services - the licensed registered nurse responsible for planning, directing, and controlling the operation of nursing service within an agency, health care facility, or setting in which nursing care is being offered or provided.
Activity of daily living (ADL) - getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, eating, walking, and taking medications prescribed for self-administration.
Agency - any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or other business entity engaged in the business of referring nursing personnel, as employees or independent contractors, to a health care facility for the purpose of rendering temporary nursing services.
Applicant - person applying for a license to practice practical nursing under this chapter.
Assignment - the transference from the practical nurse to another individual, the authority to act on behalf of the practical nurse in the performance of a nursing intervention, while the practical nurse retains the accountability and responsibility for the assigned act and providing feedback to the delegating or supervisory registered nurse.
Board - the Board of Nursing, established by § 204 of the Act, D.C. Official Code § 1202.04.
Competence - the state or quality of being capable of performing a task or function as the result of having the required knowledge, skills, and ability.
Complex interventions - those interventions that require nursing judgment to safely alter standard procedures in accordance with the needs of the client, require nursing judgment to determine how to proceed from one step to the next, or require implementation of the nursing process.
Educational program - a program accredited by a recognized nursing body approved by the board that leads to a diploma, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree in nursing.
General supervision - supervision in which the supervisor is available on the premises or within vocal communication either directly or by a communication device at the time the trained unlicensed personnel, or licensed practical nurse is practicing.
Graduate nurse - an individual who has graduated from a nursing program for practical nursing, who has never taken the NCLEX-PN exam, and whose application for a license by examination in the District of Columbia is pending.
Health professional - a person who holds a license, certificate, or registration issued under the authority of this title or the Act.
Immediate supervision - supervision in which the supervisor is with the trained unlicensed personnel or licensed practical nurse and either discussing or observing the person's practice.
Nursing intervention - the initiation and completion of a client focused action necessary to accomplish the goal(s) defined in the client-centered plan of care.
Practical nurse - a person licensed to practice practical nursing under the Act and this chapter.
Re-entry program - a formal program of study with both didactic and clinical components, designed to prepare a nurse who has been out of practice to re-enter into nursing practice at the practical nurse level.
Registered nurse - a person licensed to practice registered nursing under the Act and chapter 54 of this title.
Review course - a course of study providing review of basic preparation for the NCLEX-PN examination.
Supervisor - a registered nurse licensed under the Act who is responsible and accountable for assigning, directing, evaluating and managing a unit, service or program that offers or provides nursing care or who is responsible for the supervision of trained unlicensed personnel, students, graduate nurses or other licensed nurses.
Unlicensed assistive personnel - a person who is not licensed to practice nursing, but has been trained to function in an assistant or subordinate role to the registered or practical nurse in providing nursing care.
5599.2The definitions in § 4099 of Chapter 40 of this title are in incorporated by reference into and are applicable to this chapter.