P.R. Laws tit. 20, § 203
For purposes of §§ 203—203r of this title the following terms have the meaning expressed hereinbelow:
(a) Nursing. — The science and the art of caring for the health of the individual, the family and the community. Its field of action is the promotion and maintenance of health, prevention of illness and participation in its treatment, including the rehabilitation of the person, regardless of its stage of growth and development. The objective of nursing is to maintain a human being’s physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being up to maximum.
(b) Nursing practice. — The practice of nursing is the direct care of an individual, family and community. It includes the estimate of needs, the planning and performance of nursing care and the evaluation of nursing activities. In order to do this, a systematic body of knowledge of nursing, judgments and skills based on the principles of biological, physical and social sciences and human conduct are used.
The purpose of this practice is to use the human, physical, emotional, spiritual and social potential of mankind to a maximum; promote and maintain health and prevent illness; formulate a nursing diagnosis and attend to the health problems of persons who require nursing intervention; care for and rehabilitate the sick; carry out therapeutic measures, including the administration of medication and treatment in accordance with the laws in effect in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It includes compliance with those functions delegated and authorized by the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners in its regulations. It also includes the areas of administration, supervision, education, investigation and consultation in the practice of nursing.
The practice of nursing is hereby recognized as an autonomous social service that participates and collaborates with other fields in order to achieve an optimum level of health and well-being for all of our country’s citizens. The female or male nurse’s independent role, based on critical judgment, mastering of skills and specialized knowledge in the corresponding category, is hereby recognized. Respect for humans is observed, guaranteed and advocated throughout the nursing process. Every citizen’s right to receive sufficient, high-quality nursing services is hereby recognized.
(c) Board. — Refers to the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners of Puerto Rico as reorganized by §§ 203—203r of this title.
(d) Female/male nurse. — A person authorized by the Board of Female and Male Nurse Examiners to practice nursing according to the different categories described in §§ 203—203r of this title.
(e) Nursing practice categories. —
(1) Specialized female/male nurse. — A person with a Master’s Degree in Nursing from an institution of higher learning accredited or recognized by the Council on Higher Education of Puerto Rico.
This person masters the recognized techniques in the practice of nursing and in the categories established herein, as well as in those functions of his specific specialty and competence, as authorized by the Board in its regulations.
The specialized female or male nurse has the ability to handle complex situations in the practice of nursing, having a substantial knowledge of nursing in their specific area of a knowledge of investigating methods and the ability to apply them to their practice of nursing based on scientific knowledge and their own critical judgment. The specialized nurse directs, collaborates with and counsels the nursing team in the planning, execution and evaluation of direct nursing care offered to individuals, families and the community.
This nurse functions independently in the practice of nursing and can offer contractual services to agencies or persons in any health scenario or practice area.
(2) General female/male nurse. — A person with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing Sciences from an institution of higher learning accredited or recognized by the Council on Higher Education of Puerto Rico. This category includes female and male nurses of the Associate and Diplomate Programs who, upon the effective date of this act, have a license identifying them as graduate female/male nurses or professional female/male nurses, or who obtain a professional or graduate female/male nurse license, pursuant to subsection (b) of § 23 of this Act.
This person provides direct or nursing care to individuals, families and the community in different health scenarios and is responsible for the planning, execution, delegation and evaluation of activity in the nursing practice. He works in coordination with the nurse of male nurse specialized in the direct nursing care offered to clients.
He directs and supervises the nursing care offered by female and male nurses in the Associate and Practitioners category defined by §§ 203—203r of this title. He may function independently in the practice of nursing, and offer his services under contract with agencies or persons in any health scenario or practice area.
(3) Associate female/male nurse. — A person with an Associate Degree in Nursing from an institution of higher learning accredited or recognized by the Council on Higher Education of Puerto Rico.
This person collaborates and participates in the planning and execution of direct nursing care to ambulatory and hospitalized patients. He makes use of his basic nursing abilities and skills based on his knowledge of the natural sciences and human behavior. He participates in activities related to family and community health and may render his services under contract with agencies or persons as long as he practices under the direction and supervision of the specialized or general female or male nurse.
(4) Licensed practical female/male nurse. — A person who has a practical female/male nurse nursing diploma granted by a learning institution accredited by the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. He is the person that carries out selective activity in benefit of injured or disabled patients, requiring ability and self-judgment as to his training in nursing but not the extensive knowledge required of general or specialized nurses or male nurses and, therefore, they may only work under their direction or that of physicians or dentists licensed to practice in Puerto Rico.
(f) License. — The legal document granted by the Board that authorizes a female or male nurse to practice nursing pursuant to the categories described by §§ 203—203r of this title.
(g) Certification. — The process through which the Board recognizes that a female or male nurse meets the study and practice requirements to work in a specialized area of nursing.
(h) Functions. — Those activities authorized by the Board in its regulations for each of the categories described in §§ 203—203r of this title.
(i) Independent function. — The process through which the female or male nurse carries out the practice of nursing on his own initiative and receives direct compensation from the user and/or through health insurance plan or social security benefits in effect in Puerto Rico.
(j) Nursing diagnosis. — The process of identifying and discriminating between the physical and psychosocial signs and symptoms essential for the management and performance of nursing care. It means the analysis and statement of the nature or course of a condition, situation or problem that requires nursing.
(k) Consulting committee. — A group of persons representing the different sectors of nursing and a representative of the consumer of nursing services appointed by the Board and constituted in a Committee whose functions are those of counseling with regard to the Board’s general norms and procedures.
(l) Registration. — The process by which a qualified person duly licensed to practice nursing in Puerto Rico complies with the provisions of §§ 3001 et seq. of Title 24, known as the “Act for the Integral Reform of the Health Services of Puerto Rico”.
History —Oct. 11, 1987, No. 9, p. 956, § 2, eff. 90 days after Oct. 11, 1987.