Alabama Administrative Code › Title 610 - ALABAMA BOARD OF NURSING › Chapter 610-X-8 - DISCIPLINARY ACTION › Section 610-X-8-.01 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Abandonment:
			 Acceptance of a patient assignment, thus establishing a nurse-patient
			 relationship, and then ending the nurse-patient relationship without giving
			 reasonable notice to supervisory personnel so that others can make arrangements
			 for continuation of nursing care.
(2) Administrative complaint: A legal
			 document which contains notice of the time and place of an administrative
			 hearing; contains a statement of the charges against the applicant, registered
			 nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced practice nurse, continuing education
			 provider, or nursing education program; and complies with the notice provisions
			 for contested cases as set forth in the Alabama Administrative Procedures
			 Act.
(3) Assessment, Comprehensive:
			 the systematic collection and analysis of data including the physical,
			 psychological, social, cultural and spiritual aspects of the patient by the
			 registered nurse for the purpose of judging a patient's health and illness
			 status and actual or potential health needs. Comprehensive assessment includes
			 patient history, physical examination, analysis of the data collected,
			 development of the patient plan of care, implementation and evaluation of the
			 plan of care.
(4) Assessment,
			 Focused: An appraisal of a patient's status and specific complaint through
			 observation and collection of objective and subjective data by the registered
			 nurse or licensed practical nurse. Focused assessment involves identification
			 of normal and abnormal findings, anticipation and recognition of changes or
			 potential changes in patient's health status, and may contribute to a
			 comprehensive assessment performed by the registered nurse.
(5) Board-Acceptable Licensed Healthcare
			 Provider: A licensed healthcare provider who has been accepted, in advance, by
			 Board staff to conduct a required evaluation of a licensee for purposes of
			 reinstatement of a Board-Lapsed license.
(6) Board-Lapsed License: An Order of the
			 Board that lapses a license until identified conditions are met and the license
			 is reinstated by Order of the Board.
(7) Dual Relationship: any time a licensed
			 nurse interacts with a patient outside the nurse-patient
			 relationship.
(8) Fine: A monetary
			 penalty imposed by the Board.
(9)
			 Letter of Admonishment: A letter from the Board that addresses the areas of
			 concern over the reported conduct and notifies the registered nurse, licensed
			 practical nurse or applicant for licensure that the case has been closed
			 without discipline.
(10) Letter of
			 Closure: A letter from the Board that notifies the registered nurse, licensed
			 practical nurse or applicant for licensure that the case has been closed
			 without discipline.
(11) May:
			 power, privilege or right retained by the Board.
(12) May not: prohibition.
(13) Negligent: Failure to exercise the care
			 required by the applicable standard of care.
(14) Probation: The monitored practice of
			 nursing which permits the nurse to continue to practice nursing pursuant to
			 specified conditions as set forth by the Board.
(15) Professional Boundary: behavior of the
			 licensed nurse in maintaining a therapeutic relationship with a patient for the
			 patient's benefit rather than behavior that lessens the patient's care and
			 shifts the focus to the licensed nurse.
(16) Reprimand: A formal censure by the
			 Board.
(17) Revocation: The
			 withdrawal of the license by Board action.
(18) Shall: duty, requirement, or condition
			 precedent.
(19) Suspension: The
			 temporary withdrawal of the license by Board action.
(20) Voluntary Surrender: The voluntary
			 relinquishment of a license that has the force and effect of
			 revocation.
(21) Willful:
			 Commission of an act or omission when the licensed nurse or applicant knows or
			 reasonably should know that the act or omission violates the Nurse Practice
			 Act.
(22) Adverse Action: Any
			 administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by the law of
			 state which is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against a nurse,
			 including actions against the license or multistate privilege of an individual,
			 including revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of a licensee,
			 limitation on the practice of the licensee, the bringing of a cease and desist
			 action against the licensee, or any other encumbrance on licensure affecting
			 the authorization of a nurse to practice.
(23) Current Significant Investigative
			 Information: Any of the following:
(a)
			 Investigative information that the Board, after a preliminary inquiry that
			 includes notification and an opportunity for the nurse to respond, if required
			 by state law, has reason to believe is not groundless and, if proved true,
			 would indicate more than a minor infraction.
(b) Investigative information indicating that
			 nurse presents an immediate threat to public health and safety, regardless of
			 whether the nurse has been notified and has had an opportunity
			 respond.