Section 597.10  Definitions

"Academic year" means the period of time from September 1 of one year through August 31 of the next year or as otherwise defined by the academic institution (Section 3(6) of the Law).

"Accepted for admission" means a student has completed the requirements for entry into an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program at an approved institution, as documented by the institution (Section 3(9) of the Law).

"Approved institution" means a public community college, private junior college, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, or public or private college or university located in this State that has approval by the Department of Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program (Section 3(3) of the Law).  

"Associate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to an associate degree in nursing and associate degree in applied sciences in nursing (Section 3(7) of the Law).  

"Baccalaureate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a bachelor of science degree in nursing (Section 3(4) of the Law).

"Certificate in practical nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a Certificate in Practical Nursing.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health (Section 3(2) of the Law).

"Enrollment" means the establishment and maintenance of an individual's status as a nursing student in an approved institution, regardless of the terms used at the institution to describe such status (Section 3(5) of the Law).

"Fees" means those mandatory charges, in addition to tuition, that all students enrolled in a nursing program must pay, including required course or lab fees (Section 3(10) of the Law).

"Full-time nursing employment" means providing direct patient care of at least 24 hours per week for weekend shifts or 35 hours or more per week for weekday shifts.

"Full-time nursing student" means a student who is enrolled in a nursing program for at least 12 credit hours per term or as otherwise determined as full-time by the school (Section 3(11) of the Law).  

"Hospital-based diploma in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a hospital-based diploma in nursing (Section 3(7) of the Law).

"Licensed practical nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a licensed practical nurse by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act [225 ILCS 65] (Section 3(17) of the Law).

"Nursing Education Scholarship Law" or "Law" means 110 ILCS 975.

"Nursing employment obligation" means employment in this State as a registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse providing direct patient care for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance received through the nursing education scholarship program (Section 3(13) of the Law).  

"Part-time nursing employment" means providing direct patient care of between 17.5 hours and 34 hours per week.

"Part-time nursing student" means a student who is enrolled in a nursing program for at least one-third of the number of hours required per term by a school for its full-time students.

"Registered professional nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a registered professional nurse by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act [225 ILCS 65] (Section 3(16) of the Law).

"Student in good standing" means a student enrolled in a nursing program who maintains a cumulative grade point average equivalent to an academic grade of "C" or better (Section 3(19) of the Law).

"Total and permanent disability" means a physical or mental impairment, disease, or loss of a permanent nature that prevents nursing employment with or without reasonable accommodation.  Proof of disability shall be a declaration from the Social Security Administration, Illinois Industrial Commission, Department of Defense, or an insurer authorized to transact business in Illinois who is providing disability insurance coverage to a contractor (Section 3(20) of the Law).  

"Tuition" means the established charges of an institution of higher learning for instruction at that institution (Section 3(21) of the Law).

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 16965, effective November 08, 2002)