Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 216 - Department of health › Chapter 40 - Professional licensing and facility regulation › Subchapter 05 - Professional Licensing › Part 3 - Licensing of Nurses and Standards for the Approval of Basic Nursing Education Programs (216-RICR-40-05-3) › Section 216-RICR-40-05-3.2 - Definitions

Current through June 14, 2024
A. Wherever used in this Part the following
				  terms shall be construed as follows:
1. "Act"
				  means R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-34 entitled, "Nurses".
2. "Adjunct clinical faculty" means
				  individuals employed solely to supervise clinical nursing experiences of
				  students and meet all the qualifications in §
											3.12(B)(4)
				    of this Part.
3. "Advanced practice
				  registered nurse" or "APRN" is the title given to an individual licensed to
				  practice advanced practice registered nursing within one of the following
				  roles: certified nurse practitioner (CNP), certified registered nurse
				  anesthetist (CRNA) as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-34.2, or certified
				  clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and who functions in a population focus. An
				  APRN may serve as a primary or acute care provider of record.
4. "Advanced practice registered nursing"
				  means an independent and expanded scope of nursing in a role and population
				  focus approved by the Board that includes the registered nurse scope of
				  practice and may include, but is not limited to, performing acts of advanced
				  assessment, diagnosing, prescribing and ordering. Each APRN is accountable to
				  patients, the nursing profession and the Board for complying with the
				  requirements of the Act and the quality of advanced nursing care rendered;
				  recognizing limits of knowledge and experience; planning for the management of
				  situations beyond the APRN's expertise; and for consulting with or referring
				  patients to other health care providers as appropriate.
5. "Approval" means the process whereby the
				  Board evaluates and grants official recognition to basic nursing education
				  programs in this state which meet the established criteria and standards of
				  this Part.
6. "Approved basic
				  professional nursing education program" means a course of study for
				  professional nurses that has been approved the Board, by the licensing
				  authority of another state or territory, or by a national accrediting
				  body.
7. "Approved nurse
				  practitioner program" means a Board approved course of study for nurse
				  practitioners conducted within an academic institution which is regionally
				  accredited or accredited by such other agency as may be recognized by the
				  Board. Said course shall include both a didactic component and a supervised
				  clinical experience.
8. "Basic
				  nursing education program", hereafter referred to as nursing program, means an
				  educational unit within a hospital, junior college, senior college or
				  university, which has as its major goal the preparation of individuals to be
				  responsible practitioners of nursing and to grant appropriate diploma or degree
				  in nursing.
9. "Board" means the
				  Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education established pursuant to the
				  provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws §
											5-34-4.
10. "Certified clinical nurse specialist" is
				  an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who independently provides care to
				  clients, facilitates attainment of health goals, and provides innovation in
				  nursing practice, based on clinical expertise, evidence-based decision-making,
				  and leadership skills. The clinical nurse specialist practices with individual
				  clients and populations; nurses and other multidisciplinary team members; and
				  organizations to effect system-wide changes to improve programs of care. The
				  practice may include prescriptive privileges.
11. "Certified registered nurse anesthetist"
				  or "CRNA" means an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse as defined in R.I. Gen.
				  Laws Chapter 5-34.2.
12. "Certified
				  nurse practitioner" means an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse utilizing
				  independent knowledge of physical assessment, diagnosis and management of
				  health care and illnesses. The practice includes prescriptive privileges.
				  Certified nurse practitioners are members of the health care delivery system
				  practicing in areas including, but not limited to, family practice, pediatrics,
				  adult health care, geriatrics and women's health care in primary, acute,
				  long-term and critical care settings in health care facilities and the
				  community. Certified nurse practitioners may be recognized as the primary care
				  provider or acute care provider of record.
13. "Chief academic officer" means the
				  individual who holds the earned degree in nursing that is required to lead the
				  specific nursing education program, as stipulated in this Part, and is directly
				  responsible for the activities and outcomes of that program. This individual
				  may be titled within their specific institution as Chair, Dean, Director, etc.,
				  as determined by the policies and culture of their institution.
14. "Client" means the same as "patient" or
				  "resident."
15. "Collaboration"
				  means an independent working relationship between an Advanced Practice
				  Registered Nurse and other licensed health care professionals, including but
				  not limited to, physicians, pharmacists, podiatrists, dentists and nurses, but
				  does not require such relationship to be evidenced by a written collaboration
				  agreement, to be with a specific designated physician, or for services to be
				  performed at the same physical location as any collaborating licensed health
				  care practitioner.
16. "Continuing
				  education hour" means a unit of measurement that describes sixty (60) minutes
				  of an organized learning activity that is either a didactic or clinical
				  experience. This is also known as a "contact hour."
17. "Continuing education unit" or "CEU"
				  means a specific, standard measure [e.g., ten (10) clock hours] of educational
				  achievement used by many universities and professional organizations under the
				  criteria of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training
				  (IACET) to attest to clock hour completion of continuing education
				  activities.
18. "Controlling
				  institution" means the agency or institution that has authority and
				  responsibility for financing the nursing education program employing the chief
				  academic officer and faculty, graduating students and granting the diploma,
				  certificate or degree.
19.
				  "Coordinated licensure information system" means an integrated process for
				  collecting, storing, and sharing information on nurse licensure and enforcement
				  activities related to nurse licensure laws, which is administered by a
				  non-profit organization composed of and controlled by state nurse licensing
				  boards.
20. "Delegatee" means the
				  certified nursing assistant or other unlicensed assistive personnel receiving
				  the authority to perform a nursing activity.
21. "Delegation" means the transferring to a
				  competent individual the authority to perform a selected nursing activity in a
				  selected situation. The nurse retains the accountability for the
				  delegation.
22. "Dentist" means an
				  individual licensed in the State of Rhode Island to practice dentistry pursuant
				  to the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-31.1.
23. "Department" means the Rhode Island
				  Department of Health.
24.
				  "Director" means the Director of the Rhode Island Department of
				  Health.
25. "Health" means optimum
				  well-being.
26. "Healthcare" means
				  those services provided to promote the optimum well-being of
				  individuals.
27. "Independent
				  practice" means an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse working without a formal
				  collaborative agreement with a physician licensed in accordance with R.I. Gen.
				  Laws Chapter 5-37.
28. "Licensed"
				  means status of qualified individuals who have completed a designated process
				  by which the Board grants permission to individuals accountable and/or
				  responsible for the practice of nursing to engage in that practice, prohibiting
				  all others from legally doing so.
29. "Non-clinical nursing faculty" means
				  faculty employed for their expertise in a specific subject matter that is
				  included in the curriculum of an approved nursing program and meet all the
				  qualification in §
											3.12(B)(3)
				    of this Part.
30. "Non-disciplinary
				  alternative program" means the voluntary, confidential non-disciplinary program
				  for nurses who abuse or are chemically dependent upon drugs or alcohol or who
				  have been diagnosed with any mental illness as listed in the most recent
				  revised publication or the most updated volume of either the Diagnostic and
				  Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American
				  Psychiatric Association or the International Classification of Disease Manual
				  (ICO) published by the World Health Organization and that substantially limits
				  the life activities of the person with the illness.
31. "Nursing" means the provision of services
				  that are essential to the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health
				  throughout the continuum of life. It provides care and support of individuals
				  and families during periods of wellness, illness, and injury and incorporates
				  the appropriate medical healthcare plan of care as prescribed by a licensed
				  Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, certified nurse midwife, licensed
				  physician, dentist or podiatrist. It is a distinct component of health
				  services. Nursing practice is based on specialized knowledge, judgment, and
				  nursing skills acquired through educational preparation in nursing and in the
				  biological, physical, social, and behavioral sciences.
32. "Physician" means an individual licensed
				  to practice medicine in the State of Rhode Island pursuant to the provisions of
				  R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-37.
33.
				  "Podiatrist" means an individual licensed in the State of Rhode Island to
				  practice podiatry pursuant to the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter
				  5-29.
34. "Population foci" means
				  focus of the patient population. Population foci shall include:
				  Family/Individual across the lifespan; Adult-gerontology; Neonatal; Pediatrics;
				  Women's health/gender-related; and Psychiatric/mental health.
35. "Practical nursing", pursuant to R.I.
				  Gen. Laws §
											5-34-3(g),
				  is practiced by licensed practical nurses (L.P.N.s). It is an integral part of
				  nursing based on a knowledge and skill level commensurate with education. It
				  includes promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and utilizes
				  standardized procedures leading to predictable outcomes which are in accord
				  with the professional nurse regimen under the direction of a registered nurse.
				  In situations where registered nurses are not employed, the licensed practical
				  nurse functions under the direction of a duly licensed physician, dentist,
				  podiatrist, or other licensed health care providers authorized by law to
				  prescribe. Each L.P.N. is responsible for the nursing care rendered.
36. "The practice of certified registered
				  nurse anesthesia" means providing certain health care services in collaboration
				  with anesthesiologists, licensed physicians or licensed dentists, in accordance
				  with R.I. Gen. Laws §
											5-31.1-1(16) 
				  and Chapter 5-34.2, which requires substantial specialized knowledge, judgment
				  and skill related to the administration of anesthesia, including pre-operative
				  and post-operative assessment of patients; administering anesthetics;
				  monitoring patients during anesthesia; management of fluid in intravenous
				  therapy and management of respiratory care.
37. "Preceptor" means an individual at or
				  above the level of licensure that an assigned student is seeking who may serve
				  as a teacher, mentor, role model and/or supervisor in a clinical setting under
				  the supervision of an assigned faculty member.
38. "Professional nurse" is synonymous with
				  "registered nurse".
39.
				  "Professional nursing" is practiced by registered nurses (R.N.s). The practice
				  of professional nursing is a dynamic process of assessment of an individual's
				  health status, identification of health care needs, determination of health
				  care goals with the individual and/or family participation and the development
				  of a plan of nursing care to achieve these goals. Nursing actions, including
				  teaching and counseling, are directed toward the promotion, maintenance, and
				  restoration of health and evaluation of the individual's response to nursing
				  actions and the medical regimen of care. The professional nurse provides care
				  and support of individuals and families during periods of wellness and injury
				  and incorporates where appropriate, the medical plan of care as prescribed by a
				  duly licensed physician, dentist or podiatrist or other licensed health care
				  provider licensed to prescribe. Each R.N. is directly accountable and
				  responsible to the consumer for the nursing care rendered.
40. "Psychiatric and mental health nurse
				  clinical specialist" is a certified clinical nurse specialist working in the
				  population foci of psychiatric/mental health as an Advanced Practice Registered
				  Nurse utilizing independent knowledge in psychiatric mental health assessment,
				  diagnosis, health promotion, psychotherapeutic modalities and management of
				  mental health and illnesses. The practice may include prescriptive privileges
				  within their scope of practice. The practice may also include consultation and
				  education.
41. "Regionally
				  accredited" means the official guarantee that a college or university or other
				  educational institution is in conformity with the standards of education
				  prescribed by a regional accrediting commission recognized by the U.S.
				  Commissioner of Education.
42.
				  "State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the
				  District of Columbia.
43. "Stable
				  and predictable" means a condition in which a client's clinical and behavioral
				  status, as assessed by the registered nurse, is determined to be
				  non-fluctuating and consistent, is not recuperative in nature, and does not
				  require the regularly scheduled care of a registered or licensed practical
				  nurse.
44. "State approved program"
				  means the official recognition of a basic nursing education program granted by
				  a state body statutorily authorized to approve basic nursing education programs
				  in the respective state in which the nursing program is conducted.
45. "State approved program of practical
				  nursing" means a course of study for practical nurses that has been approved
				  the Board, by the licensing authority of another state or territory, or by a
				  national accrediting body.
46.
				  "Substantive change" means a significant modification or expansion in the
				  nature and scope of education.
47.
				  "Supervision" means the provision of guidance by a professional or practical
				  nurse for the accomplishment of a nursing activity with initial direction of
				  the activity and periodic inspection of the actual act of accomplishing the
				  activity. Total nursing care of an individual remains the responsibility and
				  accountability of a licensed nurse.
48. "Unlicensed assistive personnel" means
				  persons who are not registered, certified, or otherwise licensed by the
				  Department.