§ 90-171.20. Definitions.
§ 90‑171.20. Definitions.
As used in this Article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) "Board" means the North Carolina Board of Nursing.
(2) "Health care provider" means any licensed healthcare professional and any agent or employee of any health care institution,health care insurer, health care professional school, or a member of any alliedhealth profession. For purposes of this Article, a person enrolled in a programthat prepares the person to be a licensed health care professional or an alliedhealth professional shall be deemed a health care provider.
(3) "License" means a permit issued by the Board topractice nursing as a registered nurse or as a licensed practical nurse,including a renewal thereof.
(4) "Nursing" is a dynamic discipline which includesthe assessing, caring, counseling, teaching, referring and implementing ofprescribed treatment in the maintenance of health, prevention and management ofillness, injury, disability or the achievement of a dignified death. It isministering to; assisting; and sustained, vigilant, and continuous care ofthose acutely or chronically ill; supervising patients during convalescence andrehabilitation; the supportive and restorative care given to maintain theoptimum health level of individuals, groups, and communities; the supervision,teaching, and evaluation of those who perform or are preparing to perform thesefunctions; and the administration of nursing programs and nursing services.
(5) "Nursing program" means any educational program inNorth Carolina offering to prepare persons to meet the educational requirementsfor licensure under this Article.
(6) "Person" means an individual, corporation,partnership, association, unit of government, or other legal entity.
(7) The "practice of nursing by a registered nurse"consists of the following 10 components:
a. Assessing the patient's physical and mental health,including the patient's reaction to illnesses and treatment regimens.
b. Recording and reporting the results of the nursingassessment.
c. Planning, initiating, delivering, and evaluating appropriatenursing acts.
d. Teaching, assigning, delegating to or supervising otherpersonnel in implementing the treatment regimen.
e. Collaborating with other health care providers indetermining the appropriate health care for a patient but, subject to theprovisions of G.S. 90‑18.2, not prescribing a medical treatment regimenor making a medical diagnosis, except under supervision of a licensedphysician.
f. Implementing the treatment and pharmaceutical regimenprescribed by any person authorized by State law to prescribe the regimen.
g. Providing teaching and counseling about the patient'shealth.
h. Reporting and recording the plan for care, nursing caregiven, and the patient's response to that care.
i. Supervising, teaching, and evaluating those who perform orare preparing to perform nursing functions and administering nursing programsand nursing services.
j. Providing for the maintenance of safe and effective nursingcare, whether rendered directly or indirectly.
(8) The "practice of nursing by a licensed practicalnurse" consists of the following seven components:
a. Participating in the assessment of the patient's physicaland mental health, including the patient's reaction to illnesses and treatmentregimens.
b. Recording and reporting the results of the nursingassessment.
c. Participating in implementing the health care plan developedby the registered nurse and/or prescribed by any person authorized by State lawto prescribe such a plan, by performing tasks assigned or delegated by andperformed under the supervision or under orders or directions of a registerednurse, physician licensed to practice medicine, dentist, or other personauthorized by State law to provide the supervision.
c1. Assigning or delegating nursing interventions to otherqualified personnel under the supervision of the registered nurse.
d. Participating in the teaching and counseling of patients asassigned by a registered nurse, physician, or other qualified professional licensedto practice in North Carolina.
e. Reporting and recording the nursing care rendered and thepatient's response to that care.
f. Maintaining safe and effective nursing care, whetherrendered directly or indirectly. (1981, c. 360, s.1; 2001‑98, s. 1.)