2006 Code of Virginia § 54.1-3030 - Definitions

54.1-3030. Definitions.

As used in the Nurse Licensure Compact, unless the context requires adifferent meaning:

"Adverse action" means a home or remote state action.

"Alternative program" means a voluntary, non-disciplinary monitoringprogram approved by a nurse licensing board.

"Coordinated licensure information system" means an integrated process forcollecting, storing, and sharing information on nurse licensure andenforcement activities related to nurse licensure laws, which is administeredby a nonprofit organization composed of and controlled by state licensingboards.

"Current significant investigative information" means:

1. Investigative information that a licensing board, after a preliminaryinquiry that includes notification and an opportunity for the nurse torespond if required by state law, has reason to believe is not groundlessand, if proved true, would indicate more than a minor infraction; or

2. Investigative information that indicates that the nurse represents animmediate threat to public health and safety regardless of whether the nursehas been notified and had an opportunity to respond.

"Head of the nurse licensing board" means the Executive Director of theBoard of Nursing as used to define the compact administrator.

"Home state" means the party state which is the nurse's primary state ofresidence.

"Home state action" means any administrative, civil, equitable or criminalaction permitted by the home state's laws which are imposed on a nurse by thehome state's licensing board or other authority including actions against anindividual's license such as: revocation, suspension, probation or any otheraction which affects a nurse's authorization to practice.

"Licensing board" means a party state's regulatory body responsible forissuing nurse licenses.

"Multistate licensure privilege" means current, official authority from aremote state permitting the practice of nursing as either a registered nurseor a licensed practical nurse in such party state. All party states have theauthority, in accordance with existing state due process law, to take actionsagainst the nurse's privilege such as: revocation, suspension, probation orany other action which affects a nurse's authorization to practice.

"Nurse" means a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, as thoseterms are defined in 54.1-3000.

"Party state" means any state that has adopted this Compact.

"Remote state" means a party state, other than the home state, where thepatient is located at the time nursing care is provided, or, in the case ofthe practice of nursing not involving a patient, in such party state wherethe recipient of the nursing practice is located.

"Remote state action" means any administrative, civil, equitable orcriminal action permitted by a remote state's laws which are imposed on anurse by the remote state's licensing board or other authority includingactions against an individual's multistate licensure privilege to practice inthe remote state, and cease and desist and other injunctive or equitableorders issued by remote states or the licensing boards thereof.

"State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, theDistrict of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

"State practice laws" means those individual party's state laws andregulations that govern the practice of nursing, define the scope of nursingpractice, and create the methods and grounds for imposing discipline. "Statepractice laws" does not include the initial qualifications for licensure orrequirements necessary to obtain and retain a license, except forqualifications or requirements of the home state.

(2003, c. 249.)