Section 212 - DefinitionsWhen used in this act, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings unless the context provides otherwise:
(1) The "Practice of Professional Nursing" means diagnosing and treating human responses to actual or potential health problems through such services as casefinding, health teaching, health counseling, and provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being, and executing medical regimens as prescribed by a licensed physician or dentist. The foregoing shall not be deemed to include acts of medical diagnosis or prescription of medical therapeutic or corrective measures, except as performed by a certified registered nurse practitioner acting in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Board.(2) "Board" means the State Board of Nursing.(3) "Approved" means approved by the State Board of Nursing.(4) "Diagnosing" means that identification of and discrimination between physical and psychosocial signs and symptoms essential to effective execution and management of the nursing regimen.(5) "Treating" means selection and performance of those therapeutic measures essential to the effective execution and management of the nursing regimen, and execution of the prescribed medical regimen.(6) "Human responses" means those signs, symptoms and processes which denote the individual's interaction with an actual or potential health problem.(7) The "Practice of dietetics-nutrition" means the integration and application of principles derived from the sciences of food nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, management and behavior to provide for all aspects of nutrition therapy for individuals and groups, including nutrition therapy services and medical nutrition therapy, compatible with dietitian-nutritionist education and professional competence.(8) "Department" means the Department of State of the Commonwealth.(9) "Licensed dietitian-nutritionist" means a dietitian-nutritionist who holds a current license under this act.(10) "Medical nutrition therapy" means the component of nutrition therapy that concerns determining and recommending nutrient needs based on nutritional assessment and medical problems relative to diets prescribed by a licensed physician, including:(ii) specialized intravenous solutions;(iii) specialized oral solutions; and(iv) interactions of prescription drugs with food or nutrients.(11) "Nutrition therapy services" means assessing the nutritional needs of individuals and groups, considering the resources and constraints in the practice setting, providing nutrition counseling in health and disease, developing, implementing and managing:(i) nutrition therapy of; and(ii) food service systems for individuals and groups and maintaining appropriate standards of quality in food and nutrition therapy services for individuals and groups.(12) "Certified registered nurse practitioner" means a registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified by the board in a particular clinical specialty area.(13) "Collaboration" means a process in which a certified registered nurse practitioner works with one or more physicians to deliver health care services within the scope of the certified registered nurse practitioner's expertise. The process includes all of the following:(i) Immediate availability of a licensed physician to a certified registered nurse practitioner through direct communications or by radio, telephone or telecommunications.(ii) A predetermined plan for emergency services.(iii) A physician available to a certified registered nurse practitioner on a regularly scheduled basis for referrals, review of the standards of medical practice incorporating consultation and chart review, drug and other medical protocols within the practice setting, periodic updating in medical diagnosis and therapeutics and cosigning records when necessary to document accountability by both parties.(14) "Drug Review Committee" means the committee established in section 8.4 whose function is to approve or disapprove, by addition or deletion, the categories of drugs that may be prescribed by certified registered nurse practitioners.(15) "Clinical nurse specialist" means a registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified by the State Board of Nursing as a clinical nurse specialist.1951, May 22, P.L. 317, No. 69, § 2, imd. effective. Amended 1974, July 3, P.L. 432, No. 151, § 1, imd. effective; 1985, Dec. 20, P.L. 409, No. 109, § 2, effective 1/1/1986; 2002, June 29, P.L. 651, No. 99, § 1, effective in 90 days; 2002, Dec. 9, P.L. 1567, No. 206, § 1, effective in 60 days; 2007, July 20, P.L. 320, No. 49, § 1, effective in 60 days [9/18/2007].