§ 1647b. Definitions
As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Adverse action” means any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted
by a state’s laws that is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against
a nurse, including actions against an individual’s license or multistate licensure
privilege, such as revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the licensee,
limitation on the licensee’s practice, or any other encumbrance on licensure affecting
a nurse’s authorization to practice, including issuance of a cease and desist action.
(2) “Alternative program” means a nondisciplinary monitoring program approved by a licensing
board.
(3) “Commission” means the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators.
(4) “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 licensing boards.
(5) “Current significant investigative information” means:
(A) investigative information that a licensing board, after a preliminary inquiry that
includes notification and an opportunity for the nurse to respond, if required by
state law, 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.
(6) “Encumbrance” means a revocation or suspension of, or any limitation on, the full
and unrestricted practice of nursing imposed by a licensing board.
(7) “Home state” means the party state that is the nurse’s primary state of residence.
(8) “Licensing board” means a party state’s regulatory body responsible for issuing nurse
licenses.
(9) “Multistate license” means a license to practice as a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed
practical or vocational nurse (LPN/VN) issued by a home state licensing board that
authorizes the licensed nurse to practice in all party states under a multistate licensure
privilege.
(10) “Multistate licensure privilege” means a legal authorization associated with a multistate
license permitting the practice of nursing as either an RN or LPN/VN in a remote state.
(11) “Nurse” means RN or LPN/VN, as those terms are defined by each party state’s practice
laws.
(12) “Party state” means any state that has adopted this Compact.
(13) “Remote state” means a party state other than the home state.
(14) “Single-state license” means a nurse license issued by a party state that authorizes
practice only within the issuing state and does not include a multistate licensure
privilege to practice in any other party state.
(15) “State” means a state, territory, or possession of the United States and the District
of Columbia.
(16) “State practice laws” means a party state’s laws, rules, and regulations that govern
the practice of nursing, define the scope of nursing practice, and create the methods
and grounds for imposing discipline. “State practice laws” do not include requirements
necessary to obtain and retain a license, except for qualifications or requirements
of the home state. (Added 2021, No. 64, § 1, eff. Feb. 1, 2022.)