Section 1300.10  Definitions

The following definitions shall apply to this Part:

"Act" means the Nurse Practice Act [225 ILCS 65].

"Address of Record" means the address recorded by the Division in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file, as maintained by the Division's licensure maintenance unit.

"Advanced Practice Registered Nurse" or "APRN" means a person who has met the qualifications for a:

certified nurse midwife (CNM);

certified nurse practitioner (CNP);

certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA); or

clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and has been licensed by the Division.

All advanced practice registered nurses licensed and practicing in the State of Illinois shall use the title APRN and may use specialty credentials after their name. 

"APRN Practice Pending Licensure" means practice by an APRN, under a temporary permit, who is scheduled to take the National Certification Examination.  This period of practice cannot exceed 6 months from date of application for the license. APRN Practice Pending Licensure does not include prescriptive authority.

"Board" means the Board of Nursing.

"Collaboration" means a process involving 2 or more health care professionals working together, each contributing one's respective area of expertise to provide more comprehensive patient care.  (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Consultation" means the process by which an advanced practice registered nurse seeks the advice or opinion of another health care professional.  (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Dentist" means a person licensed to practice dentistry under the Illinois Dental Practice Act [225 ILCS 25]. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Direction" means to give authoritative instruction to another regarding nursing interventions and/or professional responsibilities.

"Director" means the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, with the authority delegated by the Secretary.

"Division" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation.

"Impaired Nurse" means a nurse licensed under the Act who is unable to practice with reasonable judgment, skill and safety because of a physical or mental disability, as evidenced by a written determination or written consent based on clinical evidence, including loss of motor skills, abuse of drugs or alcohol, or a psychiatric disorder, of sufficient degree to diminish his or her ability to deliver competent patient care. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Licensed Practical Nurse" or "LPN" means a person who is licensed as a practical nurse under the Act and practices pratical nursing as defined by the Act. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Nursing Intervention" means any treatment, based on clinical nursing judgment or knowledge, that a nurse performs.  An individual or entity shall not mandate that a registered professional nurse delegate a nursing intervention if the registered professional nurse determines it is inappropriate to do so.  A nurse shall not be subject to disciplinary or any other adverse action for refusing to delegate a nursing intervention based on patient safety.  (Section 5-10 of the Act)

"Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 60]. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Physician Assistant" means a person licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 95]. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Podiatrist" or "Podiatric Physician" means a person licensed to practice podiatry under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 100]. (Section 50-10 of the Act)

"Professional Responsibility" includes making decisions and judgments requiring use of knowledge acquired by completion of an approved program for licensure as a practical, professional or advanced practice registered nurse.

"Registered Nurse", "Registered Professional Nurse", or "RN" means a person who is licensed as a professional nurse under the Act and practices nursing as defined by the Act.

"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 228, effective January 4, 2021)