§ 90-171.82. Definitions. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 90‑171.82. Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1)        Adverse action. – A home or remote state action.

(2)        Alternative program. – A voluntary, nondisciplinarymonitoring program approved by a nurse licensing board.

(3)        Compact. – This Article.

(4)        Coordinated licensure information system. – An integratedprocess for collecting, storing, and sharing information on nurse licensure andenforcement activities related to nurse licensure laws that is administered bya nonprofit organization composed of and controlled by state nurse licensingboards.

(5)        Current significant investigative information. –

a.         Investigative information that indicates a licensee hascommitted more than a minor infraction.

b.         Investigative information that indicates a licenseerepresents an immediate threat to public health and safety.

(6)        Home state. – The party state that is the nurse's primarystate of residence.

(7)        Home state action. – Any administrative, civil, equitable,or criminal action permitted by the home state's laws that is imposed on anurse by the home state's licensing board or another authority. The termincludes the revocation, suspension, or probation of a nurse's license or anyother action that affects a nurse's authorization to practice.

(8)        Licensee. – A person licensed by the North Carolina Board ofNursing or the nurse licensing board of a party state.

(9)        Licensing board. – A party state's regulatory agency that isresponsible for licensing nurses.

(10)      Multistate licensure privilege. – Current official authorityfrom a remote state permitting the practice of nursing as either a registerednurse or a licensed practical or vocational nurse in that state.

(11)      Nurse. – A registered nurse or licensed practical orvocational nurse as those terms are defined by each party state's practicelaws.

(12)      Party state. – Any state that has adopted this Compact.

(13)      Remote state. – A party state, other than the home state,where the patient is located at the time nursing care is provided. In the caseof the practice of nursing not involving a patient, the term means the partystate where the recipient of nursing practice is located.

(14)      Remote state action. – Any administrative, civil, equitable,or criminal action permitted by the laws of a remote state that are imposed ona nurse by the remote state's nurse licensing board or other authority,including actions against a nurse's multistate licensure privilege to practicein the remote state. The term also includes cease and desist and otherinjunctive or equitable orders issued by remote states or their nurse licensingboards.

(15)      State. – A state, territory, or possession of the UnitedStates, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(16)      State practice laws. – The laws and regulations of individualparty states that govern the practice of nursing, define the scope of nursingpractice, and create the methods and grounds for disciplining nurses. The termdoes not include the initial qualifications for licensure or the requirements necessaryto obtain and retain a license, except for qualifications or requirements ofthe home state. (1999‑245, s.1.)