22 Tex. Admin. Code § 217.1 - Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) Academic course--A
specific set of learning experiences offered in an accredited school, college
or university. Academic credit will convert on the following basis: One
academic quarter hour = 10 contact hours; one academic semester hour = 15
contact hours.
(2) Advanced practice
nurse (APN)--A registered nurse, currently licensed in the State of Texas, who
has been approved by the board to practice as an advanced practice nurse based
on completing an advanced educational program of study acceptable to the board.
The term includes a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, nurse anesthetist, and a
clinical nurse specialist.
(3)
Applicant--An individual who has met the eligibility requirements and applied
to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses
(NCLEX-PN) or completed an accredited nursing program and has applied to take
the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), or
an individual who has applied for Temporary Licensure/Endorsement into
Texas.
(4) Approved--Recognized as
having met established standards and predetermined criteria of the
credentialing agencies recognized by the board. Applies to providers and
programs.
(5) Approved/Accredited
nursing program--A school, department, or division of nursing
approved/accredited by a nursing board or other licensing authority which has
jurisdiction over approval/accreditation of nursing programs.
(6) Board--The Texas Board of
Nursing.
(7) Credential Evaluation
Services (CES)--Documentation that verifies the educational credentials and
licensure of graduates of foreign nursing schools.
(8) Declaratory order--An order issued by the
Board pursuant to Texas Occupations Code §
301.257, determining
the eligibility of an individual for initial licensure as a licensed vocational
or registered nurse and setting forth both the basis for potential
ineligibility and the Board's determination of the disclosed eligibility
issues.
(9) Delinquent license--A
license lapsed due to failure to renew the certificate of
re-registration.
(10) Direct
supervision--Requires a nurse to be immediately available to coordinate,
direct, and observe at firsthand another individual for whom the nurse is
responsible.
(11) Eligibility
order--An order, issued by the Board pursuant to Texas Occupations Code
§§
301.256,
301.257 and
301.259 determining
the eligibility of an individual for licensure.
(12) Endorsement--The process of issuing a
permanent license without further examination to a nurse from another
jurisdiction or licensing authority after determination is made that the
applicant meets the same standards as those required of Texas nurses.
(13) First level, general nurse--Refers to
the International Council of Nurses (ICN) classification of nurses. A
first-level nurse is called a registered or professional nurse in most
countries. A general nurse has studied theory and had clinical practice in a
variety of nursing areas.
(14)
Graduate of a foreign nursing school--An individual who graduated from a
post-secondary nursing education program that prepares nurse generalists or
enrolled nurses for licensure and is approved/accredited by a governmental
authority.
(15) Graduate nurse
(GN)--Graduates of approved professional nursing programs who are issued a
permit to practice for a specific time period until they successfully meet all
licensure requirements.
(16)
Graduate vocational nurse (GVN)--Graduates of approved vocational nursing
programs who are issued a permit to practice for a specific time period until
they successfully meet all licensure requirements.
(17) Impaired practice--Practice in which the
nurse's ability to perform the essential functions of a nurse is impaired by
chemical dependency on drugs and/or alcohol or by mental illness.
(18) Indirect supervision--Requires a nurse
to be readily available if needed for consultation to coordinate, direct, and
observe another individual for whom the nurse is responsible.
(19) Jurisdiction--A state or territory of
the United States using the National Council Licensure Examination for
Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the National Council Licensure Examination for
Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) as the licensing examination.
(20) Licensed Vocational Nurse--See
Vocational Nurse.
(21) Licensing
authority--A legislated or governmentally appointed agency which approves,
accredits or otherwise regulates legally defined behaviors of institutions or
individuals.
(22) National Council
Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN)--The test used by the
board to measure minimal competence for licensure as a vocational nurse.
(23) National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)--The test used by the board to
measure minimal competence for licensure as a registered professional nurse.
(24) Nurse--a person required to
be licensed under Texas Occupations Code chapter 301 to engage in professional
or vocational nursing.
(25)
Nursing curriculum--The equivalent of all nursing courses in the program of
study within an approved/accredited nursing program.
(26) Nursing program--The equivalent of all
non-nursing and nursing courses in the program of study within an
approved/accredited program.
(27)
Peer assistance program--An approved program designed for nurses whose nursing
practice is or may be impaired by chemical dependency on drugs and/or alcohol
or certain mental illnesses and which meets the minimum criteria established by
the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the additional criteria
established by the Board.
(28)
Practitioner--As related to radiology practice, a doctor of medicine,
osteopathy, podiatry, dentistry, or chiropractic who is licensed under the laws
of Texas and who prescribes radiologic procedures for other persons (See 25 TAC
§143.2).
(29) Professional
boundaries--The appropriate limits which should be established by the nurse in
the nurse/client relationship due to the nurse's power and the patient's
vulnerability. Refers to the provision of nursing services within the limits of
the nurse/client relationship which promote the client's dignity, independence
and best interests and refrain from inappropriate involvement in the client's
personal relationships and/or the obtainment of the nurse's personal gain at
the client's expense.
(30)
Professional nursing education program (general)--Post-secondary general
nursing program of at least two academic years in length that provides both
theory and clinical instruction in:
(A)medical-surgical nursing;
(B)maternal/child nursing;
(C)pediatric nursing; and
(D)mental health nursing.
(31) Professional
nursing practice--As defined in the Occupations Code §
301.002(2).
(32) Program of study--The courses
and learning experiences that constitute the requirements for completion of a
basic nursing education program (vocational nursing education program,
associate degree nursing education program, baccalaureate degree nursing
education program, master's degree nursing education program, or diploma
nursing education program) or a post-licensure nursing education program.
(33) Radiologic procedure--Any
procedure or article used with clients, including diagnostic x-rays or nuclear
medicine procedures, through the emission of ionizing radiation as stated in
the Occupations Code §
601.002(9).
(34) Reactivation--The process of making a
license current when a nurse has allowed his or her license to become
delinquent and/or is in inactive/retired status.
(35) Refresher course--A program designed to
update knowledge of current nursing theory and clinical practice consisting of
didactic and clinical components to ensure entry level competencies into
vocational, professional, or advanced nursing practice. Refresher courses are
not accepted for continuing education credit and must meet current board
requirements.
(36) Registered
nurse--A person currently licensed by the board to practice professional
nursing.
(37) Registered nurse,
retired--An individual on inactive status who has met the requirements for
using the title as stated in §
217.9 of this title (relating to
Inactive and Retired Status).
(38)
Renewal period--Two-year period determined by the licensee's birth month and
year. Specific time frame for renewal may vary from six months to 29 months as
determined by board policies.
(39)
Second level nurses--Refers to the International Council of Nurses (ICN)
classification of nurses. Second level nurses are called enrolled, vocational,
or practical nurses or nurse assistants in most countries. Those nurses who
have specialized in one area without being educated and registered/licensed as
a general nurse (for instance, midwife, pediatric nurse, or psychiatric nurse)
are not eligible to take the CGFNS qualifying exam.
(40) Shall, will and must--Mandatory
requirements.
(41) Should--Denotes
recommendations.
(42) State Board
Test Pool Examination (SBTPE)--The test formerly used by the board prior to the
NCLEX-RN to measure minimal competence for licensure as a registered nurse.
(43) Temporary authorization--An
authorization to practice vocational or professional nursing for a specified
period of time.
(44) Temporary
license--A license that authorizes an individual licensed as a nurse in other
jurisdictions to practice nursing in Texas for a specified period of time.
(45) Temporary permit--A permit
issued to a nurse for a specific period of time which allows the nurse to
complete specific requirements in order for the license to be reissued.
(46) Vocational nurse--A person
currently licensed by the board to practice vocational nursing.
(47) Vocational nurse, retired--An individual
on inactive status who has met the requirements for using the title as stated
in §
217.9 of this title (relating to
Inactive Status); includes individuals formerly classified as Vocational nurse,
emeritus.
(48) Vocational
Nursing--Nursing other than professional nursing that generally requires
experience and education in biological, physical, and social sciences
sufficient to qualify as a licensed vocational nurse.
(49) Vocational Nursing Education Program--A
comprehensive system of education which provides instruction in biological,
physical, social, behavioral and nursing sciences, with correlated theory, to
include clinical practice in nursing care of children, maternity nursing,
nursing care of the aged, nursing care of adults and nursing care of
individuals with mental health problems.
(50) Vocational Nursing Practice--As defined
in the Occupations Code §
301.002(5).
Notes
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