SB0837eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0837 Engrossed LRB099 03979 HAF 23996 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Nurse Practice Act is amended by changing Section 50-10 as follows:

(225 ILCS 65/50-10) (was 225 ILCS 65/5-10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018)

Sec. 50-10. Definitions. Each of the following terms, when used in this Act, shall have the meaning ascribed to it in this Section, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Academic year" means the customary annual schedule of courses at a college, university, or approved school, customarily regarded as the school year as distinguished from the calendar year.

"Advanced practice nurse" or "APN" means a person who has met the qualifications for a (i) certified nurse midwife (CNM); (ii) certified nurse practitioner (CNP); (iii) certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA); or (iv) clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and has been licensed by the Department. All advanced practice nurses licensed and practicing in the State of Illinois shall use the title APN and may use specialty credentials after their name.

"Approved program of professional nursing education" and "approved program of practical nursing education" are programs of professional or practical nursing, respectively, approved by the Department under the provisions of this Act.

"Board" means the Board of Nursing appointed by the Secretary.

"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.

"Consultation" means the process whereby an advanced practice nurse seeks the advice or opinion of another health care professional.

"Credentialed" means the process of assessing and validating the qualifications of a health care professional.

"Current nursing practice update course" means a planned nursing education curriculum approved by the Department consisting of activities that have educational objectives, instructional methods, content or subject matter, clinical practice, and evaluation methods, related to basic review and updating content and specifically planned for those nurses previously licensed in the United States or its territories and preparing for reentry into nursing practice.

"Dentist" means a person licensed to practice dentistry under the Illinois Dental Practice Act.

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

"Hospital affiliate" means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, or similar organization, other than a hospital, that is devoted primarily to the provision, management, or support of health care services and that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control of the hospital. For the purposes of this definition, "control" means having at least an equal or a majority ownership or membership interest. A hospital affiliate shall be 100% owned or controlled by any combination of hospitals, their parent corporations, or physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois. "Hospital affiliate" does not include a health maintenance organization regulated under the Health Maintenance Organization Act.

"Impaired nurse" means a nurse licensed under this Act who is unable to practice with reasonable 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.

"License-pending advanced practice nurse" means a registered professional nurse who has completed all requirements for licensure as an advanced practice nurse except the certification examination and has applied to take the next available certification exam and received a temporary license from the Department.

"License-pending registered nurse" means a person who has passed the Department-approved registered nurse licensure exam and has applied for a license from the Department. A license-pending registered nurse shall use the title "RN lic pend" on all documentation related to nursing practice.

"Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

"Podiatric physician" means a person licensed to practice podiatry under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987.

"Practical nurse" or "licensed practical nurse" means a person who is licensed as a practical nurse under this Act and practices practical nursing as defined in this Act. Only a practical nurse licensed under this Act is entitled to use the title "licensed practical nurse" and the abbreviation "L.P.N.".

"Practical nursing" means the performance of nursing acts requiring the basic nursing knowledge, judgement, and skill acquired by means of completion of an approved practical nursing education program. Practical nursing includes assisting in the nursing process as delegated by a registered professional nurse or an advanced practice nurse. The practical nurse may work under the direction of a licensed physician, dentist, podiatric physician, or other health care professional determined by the Department.

"Privileged" means the authorization granted by the governing body of a healthcare facility, agency, or organization to provide specific patient care services within well-defined limits, based on qualifications reviewed in the credentialing process.

"Registered Nurse" or "Registered Professional Nurse" means a person who is licensed as a professional nurse under this Act and practices nursing as defined in this Act. Only a registered nurse licensed under this Act is entitled to use the titles "registered nurse" and "registered professional nurse" and the abbreviation, "R.N.".

"Registered professional nursing practice" is a scientific process founded on a professional body of knowledge; it is a learned profession based on the understanding of the human condition across the life span and environment and includes all nursing specialties and means the performance of any nursing act based upon professional knowledge, judgment, and skills acquired by means of completion of an approved professional nursing education program. A registered professional nurse provides holistic nursing care through the nursing process to individuals, groups, families, or communities, that includes but is not limited to: (1) the assessment of healthcare needs, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and nursing evaluation; (2) the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health; (3) counseling, patient education, health education, and patient advocacy; (4) the administration of medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, a licensed dentist, a licensed podiatric physician, or a licensed optometrist or as prescribed by a physician assistant in accordance with written guidelines required under the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 or by an advanced practice nurse in accordance with Article 65 of this Act; (5) the coordination and management of the nursing plan of care; (6) the delegation to and supervision of individuals who assist the registered professional nurse implementing the plan of care; and (7) teaching nursing students. The foregoing shall not be deemed to include those acts of medical diagnosis or prescription of therapeutic or corrective measures.

"Professional assistance program for nurses" means a professional assistance program that meets criteria established by the Board of Nursing and approved by the Secretary, which provides a non-disciplinary treatment approach for nurses licensed under this Act whose ability to practice is compromised by alcohol or chemical substance addiction.

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

"Unencumbered license" means a license issued in good standing.

"Written collaborative agreement" means a written agreement between an advanced practice nurse and a collaborating physician, dentist, or podiatric physician pursuant to Section 65-35.

(Source: P.A. 97-813, eff. 7-13-12; 98-214, eff. 8-9-13.)

Section 10. The Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(225 ILCS 95/4) (from Ch. 111, par. 4604)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018)

Sec. 4. In this Act:

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

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

3. "Physician assistant" means any person who has been certified as a physician assistant by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants or equivalent successor agency and performs procedures under the supervision of a physician as defined in this Act. A physician assistant may perform such procedures within the specialty of the supervising physician, except that such physician shall exercise such direction, supervision and control over such physician assistants as will assure that patients shall receive quality medical care. Physician assistants shall be capable of performing a variety of tasks within the specialty of medical care under the supervision of a physician. Supervision of the physician assistant shall not be construed to necessarily require the personal presence of the supervising physician at all times at the place where services are rendered, as long as there is communication available for consultation by radio, telephone or telecommunications within established guidelines as determined by the physician/physician assistant team. The supervising physician may delegate tasks and duties to the physician assistant. Delegated tasks or duties shall be consistent with physician assistant education, training, and experience. The delegated tasks or duties shall be specific to the practice setting and shall be implemented and reviewed under a written supervision agreement established by the physician or physician/physician assistant team. A physician assistant, acting as an agent of the physician, shall be permitted to transmit the supervising physician's orders as determined by the institution's by-laws, policies, procedures, or job description within which the physician/physician assistant team practices. Physician assistants shall practice only in accordance with a written supervision agreement.

4. "Board" means the Medical Licensing Board constituted under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

5. "Disciplinary Board" means the Medical Disciplinary Board constituted under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

6. "Physician" means, for purposes of this Act, a person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

7. "Supervising Physician" means, for the purposes of this Act, the primary supervising physician of a physician assistant, who, within his specialty and expertise may delegate a variety of tasks and procedures to the physician assistant. Such tasks and procedures shall be delegated in accordance with a written supervision agreement. The supervising physician maintains the final responsibility for the care of the patient and the performance of the physician assistant.

8. "Alternate supervising physician" means, for the purpose of this Act, any physician designated by the supervising physician to provide supervision in the event that he or she is unable to provide that supervision. The Department may further define "alternate supervising physician" by rule.

The alternate supervising physicians shall maintain all the same responsibilities as the supervising physician. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as relieving any physician of the professional or legal responsibility for the care and treatment of persons attended by him or by physician assistants under his supervision. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to limit the reasonable number of alternate supervising physicians, provided they are designated by the supervising physician.

9. "Address of record" means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit. It is the duty of the applicant or licensee to inform the Department of any change of address, and such changes must be made either through the Department's website or by contacting the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

10. "Hospital affiliate" means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, or similar organization, other than a hospital, that is devoted primarily to the provision, management, or support of health care services and that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control of the hospital. For the purposes of this definition, "control" means having at least an equal or a majority ownership or membership interest. A hospital affiliate shall be 100% owned or controlled by any combination of hospitals, their parent corporations, or physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois. "Hospital affiliate" does not include a health maintenance organization regulated under the Health Maintenance Organization Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-268, eff. 8-11-09; 97-1071, eff. 8-24-12.)