SECTION .3000 - GENERAL INFORMATION

10A NCAC 13B .3001      DEFINITIONS

Notwithstanding Section .1900 of this Subchapter, the following definitions shall apply throughout this Subchapter unless the context indicates to the contrary:

(1)           "Appropriate" means suitable or fitting, or conforming to standards of care as established by professional organizations, including Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), American Medical Association (AMA) and American Nurses Association (ANA).

(2)           "Authority having jurisdiction" means the Division of Health Service Regulation.

(3)           "Certified Dietary Manager" or "CDM" means an individual who is certified by the Certifying Board of the Dietary Managers and meets the standards and qualification as referenced in the "Dietary Manager Training Program Requirements." These standards include any subsequent amendments and editions of the referenced manual. Copies of the "Dietary Manager Training Program Requirements" may be obtained free of charge at https://www.cbdmonline.org/.

(4)           "Competence" means the state or quality of being able to perform specific functions well; skill; and ability.

(5)           "Construction documents" means final building plans and specifications for the construction of a facility that a governing body submits to the Construction Section for approval as specified in Rule .3102 of this Subchapter.

(6)           "Construction Section" means the Construction Section of the Division of Health Service Regulation.

(7)           "Continuous" means ongoing or uninterrupted, 24 hours per day.

(8)           "CRNA" means a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who meets the criteria set forth in G.S. 90-171.21(d)(4).

(9)           "Credentialed" means that the individual having a given title or position has been credited with the right to exercise official responsibilities to provide specific patient care and treatment services, within defined limits, based upon the individual's license, education, training, experience, competence, and judgment.

(10)         "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services.

(11)         "Dietetics" means as defined in G.S. 90-352.

(12)         "Dietitian" means a person who meets the criteria set forth in G.S. 90, Article 25.

(13)         "Direct Supervision" means the state of being under the control of a supervisor, manager, or other person of authority.

(14)         "Division" means the Division of Health Service Regulation.

(15)         "Facility" means a hospital as defined in G.S. 131E-76.

(16)         "Full-time equivalent" means a unit of measure of employee work time that is equal to the number of hours that one full-time employee would work during one calendar year if the employee worked eight hours a day, five days a week, and 52 weeks a year; i.e. 2,080 hours per year.

(17)         "Governing body" means the authority as defined in G.S. 131E-76.

(18)         "Imaging" means a reproduction or representation of a body or body part for diagnostic purposes by radiologic intervention that may include conventional fluoroscopic exam, magnetic resonance, nuclear or radio-isotope scan.

(19)         "Invasive procedure" means a procedure involving puncture or incision of the skin, insertion of an instrument or foreign material into the body (excluding venipuncture and intravenous therapy).

(20)         "License" means formal permission to provide services as granted by the State.

(21)         "Medical staff" means the formal organization that is comprised of individuals who have sought and obtained clinical privileges in a facility. As defined by the facility's medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, those members of the medical staff who regularly and routinely admit patients to a facility constitute the active medical staff.

(22)         "Mission statement" means a written statement of the philosophy and beliefs of the organization or hospital as approved by the governing body.

(23)         "Neonate" means the newborn from birth to one month.

(24)         "Nurse executive" means a registered nurse who is the director of nursing services or a representative of decentralized nursing management staff.

(25)         "Nurse midwife" means a person who meets the criteria as set forth in G.S. 90-171.21(d)(4).

(26)         "Nursing facility" means as defined in G.S. 131E-116(2).

(27)         "Nursing staff" means the registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse aides, and others under nurse supervision, who provide patient care. The term also includes clerical personnel who work in clinical areas under nurse supervision.

(28)         "Nutrition and Dietetic Technician Registered" means as defined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A copy of the requirements can be obtained at https://www.eatrightpro.org/about-us/what-is-an-rdn-and-dtr/what-is-a-nutrition-and-dietetics-technician-registered at no cost.

(29)         "Nutrition therapy" ranges from intervention and counseling on diet modification to administration of specialized nutrition therapies as determined necessary to manage a condition or treat illness or injury. Specialized nutrition therapies include supplementation with medical foods, enteral and parenteral nutrition. Nutrition therapy integrates information from the nutrition assessment with information on food and other sources of nutrients and meal preparation consistent with cultural background and socioeconomic status.

(30)         "Observation bed" means a bed used for no more than 24-hours, to evaluate and determine the condition and disposition of a patient and is not considered a part of the hospital's licensed bed capacity.

(31)         "Patient" means any person receiving diagnostic or medical services at a hospital.

(32)         "Pharmacist" means as defined in G.S. 90-85.3.

(33)         "Physical Rehabilitation Services" means any combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or vocational rehabilitation.

(34)         "Physician" means a person who meets the criteria set forth in G.S.90-9.1 or G.S. 90-9.2.

(35)         "Provisional license" means a hospital license recognizing less than full compliance with the licensure rules.

(36)         "Qualified" means having complied with the specific conditions for employment or the performance of a function.

(37)         "Reference" means to use in consultation to obtain information.

(38)         "Special Care Unit" means a unit or area of a hospital that includes a critical care unit, an intermediate care unit, or a pediatric care unit.

(39)         "Unit" means a designated area of the hospital for the delivery of patient care services.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131E-79;

RRC Objection due to lack of Statutory Authority Eff. July 13, 1995;

Eff. January 1, 1996;

Readopted Eff. April 1, 2020.