Sections 148.171 to 148.285 shall be referred to as the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act.
As used in sections 148.171 to 148.285, the definitions in this section have the meanings given.
"Advanced practice registered nurse," abbreviated APRN, means an individual licensed as a registered nurse by the board and certified by a national nurse certification organization acceptable to the board to practice as a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner.
"Clinical nurse specialist practice" means the provision of patient care in a particular specialty or subspecialty of advanced practice registered nursing within the context of collaborative management, and includes: (1) diagnosing illness and disease; (2) providing nonpharmacologic treatment, including psychotherapy; (3) promoting wellness; and (4) preventing illness and disease. The certified clinical nurse specialist is certified for advanced practice registered nursing in a specific field of clinical nurse specialist practice.
"Collaborative management" is a mutually agreed upon plan between an advanced practice registered nurse and one or more physicians or surgeons licensed under chapter 147 that designates the scope of collaboration necessary to manage the care of patients. The advanced practice registered nurse and the one or more physicians must have experience in providing care to patients with the same or similar medical problems, except that certified registered nurse anesthetists may continue to provide anesthesia in collaboration with physicians, including surgeons, podiatrists licensed under chapter 153, and dentists licensed under chapter 150A. Certified registered nurse anesthetists must provide anesthesia services at the same hospital, clinic, or health care setting as the physician, surgeon, podiatrist, or dentist.
"Consultation" means the process in which an advanced practice registered nurse who maintains primary management responsibility for a patient's care seeks advice or opinion of a physician or another member of the health care team.
"Licensed practical nurse," abbreviated LPN, means an individual licensed by the board to practice practical nursing.
"Nurse" means registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, and licensed practical nurse unless the context clearly refers to only one category.
"Nurse-midwife practice" means the management of women's primary health care, focusing on pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, care of the newborn, and the family planning and gynecological needs of women and includes diagnosing and providing nonpharmacologic treatment within a system that provides for consultation, collaborative management, and referral as indicated by the health status of patients.
"Nurse practitioner practice" means, within the context of collaborative management: (1) diagnosing, directly managing, and preventing acute and chronic illness and disease; and (2) promoting wellness, including providing nonpharmacologic treatment. The certified nurse practitioner is certified for advanced registered nurse practice in a specific field of nurse practitioner practice.
"Nursing assistant" means an individual providing nursing or nursing-related services that do not require the specialized knowledge and skill of a nurse, at the direction of a nurse, but does not include a licensed health professional or an individual who volunteers to provide such services without monetary compensation.
The "practice of advanced practice registered nursing" means the performance of clinical nurse specialist practice, nurse-midwife practice, nurse practitioner practice, or registered nurse anesthetist practice as defined in subdivisions 5, 10, 11, and 21. The practice includes functioning as a direct care provider, case manager, consultant, educator, and researcher. The practice of advanced practice registered nursing also includes accepting referrals from, consulting with, cooperating with, or referring to all other types of health care providers, including but not limited to physicians, chiropractors, podiatrists, and dentists, provided that the advanced practice registered nurse and the other provider are practicing within their scopes of practice as defined in state law. The advanced practice registered nurse must practice within a health care system that provides for consultation, collaborative management, and referral as indicated by the health status of the patient.
The "practice of practical nursing" means the performance for compensation or personal profit of any of those services in observing and caring for the ill, injured, or infirm, in applying counsel and procedure to safeguard life and health, in administering medication and treatment prescribed by a licensed health professional, which are commonly performed by licensed practical nurses and which require specialized knowledge and skill such as are taught or acquired in an approved school of practical nursing, but which do not require the specialized education, knowledge, and skill of a registered nurse.
The "practice of professional nursing" means the performance for compensation or personal profit of the professional interpersonal service of: (1) providing a nursing assessment of the actual or potential health needs of individuals, families, or communities; (2) providing nursing care supportive to or restorative of life by functions such as skilled ministration of nursing care, supervising and teaching nursing personnel, health teaching and counseling, case finding, and referral to other health resources; and (3) evaluating these actions. The practice of professional nursing includes both independent nursing functions and delegated medical functions which may be performed in collaboration with other health team members, or may be delegated by the professional nurse to other nursing personnel. Independent nursing function may also be performed autonomously. The practice of professional nursing requires that level of special education, knowledge, and skill ordinarily expected of an individual who has completed an approved professional nursing education program as described in section 148.211, subdivision 1.
"Prescribing" means the act of generating a prescription for the preparation of, use of, or manner of using a drug or therapeutic device in accordance with the provisions of section 148.235. Prescribing does not include recommending the use of a drug or therapeutic device which is not required by the federal Food and Drug Administration to meet the labeling requirements for prescription drugs and devices. Prescribing also does not include recommending or administering a drug or therapeutic device perioperatively by a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
"Prescription" means a written direction or an oral direction reduced to writing provided to or for an individual patient for the preparation or use of a drug or therapeutic device.
"Public health nurse" means a registered nurse who meets the voluntary registration requirements established by the board by rule.
"Referral" means the process in which an advanced practice registered nurse directs a patient to a physician or another health care professional for management of a particular problem or aspect of the patient's care.
"Registered nurse," abbreviated RN, means an individual licensed by the board to practice professional nursing.
"Registered nurse anesthetist practice" means the provision of anesthesia care and related services within the context of collaborative management, including selecting, obtaining, and administering drugs and therapeutic devices to facilitate diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical procedures upon request, assignment, or referral by a patient's physician, dentist, or podiatrist.
"Registered nurse, certified," abbreviated RN,C, means a registered nurse who has received certification from a national nursing organization or national nurse certification organization for practice according to subdivision 15 in a specialized field of professional nursing. A registered nurse, certified, shall not practice advanced practice registered nursing as described in subdivision 5, 10, 11, 13, or 21.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes