2015 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 40 - Professions and Occupations
CHAPTER 33 - NURSES
Section 40-33-1310. Definitions.

As used in this article:

(1) "Adverse action" means a home or remote state action.

(2) "Alternative program" means a voluntary, nondisciplinary monitoring program approved by a nurse licensing board.

(3) "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 that is administered by a nonprofit organization composed of and controlled by state nurse licensing boards.

(4) "Current significant investigative information" means:

(a) investigative information that a licensing board, after a preliminary inquiry, which includes notification and an opportunity for the nurse to respond, has reason to believe is not groundless and, if proved true, would indicate more than a minor infraction; or

(b) investigative information that indicates that the nurse represents an immediate threat to public health and safety regardless of whether the nurse has been notified and had an opportunity to respond.

(5) "Home state" means the party state that is the nurse's primary state of residence.

(6) "Home state action" means an administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by the home state's laws that is imposed on a nurse by the home state's licensing board or another authority. This term includes the revocation or suspension of a nurse's license, placing a nurse on probation, or any other action that affects a nurse's authorization to practice.

(7) "Licensee" means a person licensed by the South Carolina Board of Nursing or the nurse licensing board of a party state.

(8) "Licensing board" means a party state's regulatory agency that is responsible for licensing nurses.

(9) "Multi-State licensure privilege" means current official authority from a remote state permitting the practice of nursing as either a registered nurse or a licensed practical or vocational nurse in that state. All party states have the authority, in accordance with existing state law, to take actions against a nurse's privilege including, but not limited to, revocation, suspension, probation, or any other action which affects a nurse's authorization to practice.

(10) "Nurse" means a registered nurse or licensed practical or vocational nurse as those terms are defined by each party state's practice laws.

(11) "Party state" means any state that has adopted this compact.

(12) "Remote state" means a party state, other than the home state, where the patient is located at the time nursing care is provided. In the case of the practice of nursing not involving a patient, the" term" means the party state where the recipient of nursing practice is located.

(13) "Remote state action" means:

(a) an administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by the laws of a remote state that are imposed on a nurse by the remote state's nurse licensing board or other authority, including actions against a nurse's multi-state licensure privilege to practice in the remote state;

(b) cease and desist and other injunctive or equitable orders issued by a remote state or its nurse licensing board.

(14) "State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(15) "State practice laws" means the laws and regulations of individual party states that govern the practice of nursing, define the scope of nursing practice, and create the methods and grounds for disciplining nurses. This term does not include the initial qualifications for licensure or the requirements necessary to obtain and retain a license, except for qualifications or requirements of the home state.

HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 87, Section 2.

Editor's Note

2005 Act No. 87, Section 7, provides as follows:

"This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to nursing licenses applied for after September 30, 2006."