Wyo. Code R. 054-0002-1
General
Effective Date: 01/31/1992 to 03/28/1996
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 054.0002.1.01311992
Section 1. Authority. These rules and regulations are promulgated by the Wyoming State Board of Nursing pursuant to their authority under the Wyoming Nursing Practice Act, W.S. 33-21-119 through 33-21-156.
Section 2. Statement of Purpose. These rules and regulations are adopted to implement the authority of the Wyoming State Board of Nursing to regulate the qualifications and standards of performance of nurses practicing in Wyoming, develop and enforce standards for nursing education programs and approve nursing education programs that meet the standards, and provide for enforcement and proper administration of the provisions of the Nursing Practice Act.
(a) The Board shall meet at least once every six (6) months to transact its business. One (1) meeting shall be designated as the annual meeting for the purpose of electing officers, establishing dates of board meetings for the coming year, and board reorganization and planning. The Board may meet at other times as it may deem necessary to transact its business.
(b) Notice of board meetings shall be given to any person who requests such notice. The notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting and the business to be transacted. A notice of each meeting will be filed in the Governor's office ten (10) days prior to a scheduled board meeting.
(c) All meetings shall be open to the public; the board may conduct executive sessions in accordance with W.S. 16-4-405.
(d) A written record shall be kept of all meetings, and such records shall be retained as the permanent record of the transactions of the board.
(e) A majority of the board members including the president or vice-president and one (1) licensed practical nurse, constitutes a quorum for the conduct of a board meeting. The act of the majority of members present at a meeting, which includes a quorum, shall be the act of the board of nursing.
Section 4. Definitions. The definitions set out in the Nursing Practice Act, W.S. 33-21-120, are hereby incorporated by reference to these rules and regulations. In addition, as used in these rules and regulations, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) 'Academic facilities' means the physical facilities of the governing body such as classrooms, offices, laboratories, libraries, and other essential resources required for the program.
(b) 'Accreditation' means an official authorization or status granted by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
(c) 'Administrative head' means the registered professional nurse faculty member who has the responsibility to administer the nursing education program regardless of the official title assigned by the governing body.
(d) 'Annual report' means a condensed report from a board approved nursing education program which summarizes significant revisions pertaining to the criteria as stated in the established Standards For Nursing Education Programs.
(e) 'Canadian Nurses' Association Testing Service' means the Canadian organization which has the authority to develop and administer the Canadian national nursing licensure examination, which the board has determined is equivalent to the national nursing licensure examination.
(f) 'Candidate' means an individual who has met all the requirements for completion of a board approved nursing education program, and is applying for a graduate temporary permit or licensure by examination.
(g) 'Clinical facilities' means those institutions which are established for the delivery of health care services, and which are utilized by students enrolled in nursing education programs.
(h) 'Collaborative plan' means a formal written plan which outlines procedures for consultation and collaboration with other health care professionals and for referral of clients to other health care professionals as indicated by clients' health care needs; assures the quality and appropriateness of services rendered; addresses the parameters of collaborative practice between the APN and a licensed physician, dentist, or other appropriate health providers, or institution(s); and details the process which involves two or more parties working together, each contributing his or her respective area of expertise, in order to provide more comprehensive care than either one alone can offer.
(i) 'Collaboration' means a process which involves two or more parties working together, each contributing his or her respective area of expertise, in order to provide more comprehensive care than either one alone can offer.
(j) 'Complainant' means the person(s), organization or agency who initiated the complaint.
(k) 'Conditional approval' means the status given to a nursing education program for a period of time determined by the board for failure to meet the criteria as stated in the established Standards for Nursing Education Programs, and which specifies deficiencies that shall be removed or corrected within a designated period of time.
(l) 'Continued competency' means nursing practice or educational experience beyond basic nursing preparation, which promotes the skillful and proficient performance of functions within the role of the licensee and contributes to the essential knowledge, judgment and skills for the enhancement of nursing practice.
(m) 'Current' means new, present, most recent.
(n) 'Direction' means the intermittent observation, guidance and evaluation of the nursing practice of another by a licensed physician, dentist or registered professional nurse who may only occasionally be physically present; or joint development of a plan of care in advance by those individuals involved which will be implemented by others without the physical presence of a licensed physician, dentist, or registered professional nurse. In the latter situation, a licensed physician, dentist or registered professional nurse shall be available for consultation in the event circumstances arise that cause consultation to be necessary. The degree of direction needed shall be determined by evaluation of the patient care situation, and the educational preparation and demonstrated proficiency of others.
(o) 'Equivalent' means similar to or exceeding the necessary requirements as stated in these rules and regulations.
(p) 'Faculty' means registered professional nurses meeting the criteria as stated in the established Standards For Nursing Education Programs, and employed by the governing body for the purpose of administration, teaching, evaluation, guidance and research in nursing.
(q) 'Formal instruction' means an independent study, organized program, course or other planned learning experience approved by the board, and which is directed or taught by the faculty of a board approved nursing education program.
(r) 'Full approval' means the status granted to a nursing education program that meets the criteria as stated in the established Standards For Nursing Education Programs.
(s) 'Governing body' means the agency or institution which has the authority to conduct a nursing education program, administer the program, assume responsibility for financial support, graduate students, and grant degrees or certificates to the graduates.
(t) 'Graduate temporary permit' means a current document permitting the supervised practice of nursing skills learned in a basic nursing education program, issued to those individuals who have met all the requirements for completion of a board approved nursing education program and who are scheduled to write the national nursing licensure examination for the first time.
(u) 'Inactive status' means the license is not on active status and the licensee is not currently engaged in the practice of nursing.
(v) 'Jurisdiction' means the governmental authority for licensure and regulation of nurses within a specific geographic region and which allows reciprocity to other jurisdictions.
(w) 'May' means optional; not required.
(x) 'National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.' means a national nursing organization, comprised of individual jurisdictions, which acts on matters of common interest affecting nursing practice, and which develops and administers a national nursing licensure examination.
(y) 'National League for Nursing' means a nongovernmental accrediting agency which grants professional accreditation to nursing education programs that meet the criteria established by the agency; accreditation is sought voluntarily by nursing education programs.
(z) 'Predictable' means expected; foreseeable; anticipated; with reasonable assurance and accuracy.
(aa) 'Provisional approval' means the initial status granted to a new nursing education program that meets the criteria as stated in the established Standards For Nursing Education Programs.
(bb) 'Reactivation' means the process of removing a license from inactive status and placing the license on active status.
(cc) 'Refresher course' means a planned nursing education program relating to basic review of current nursing practice, updating nursing theory and skills, and specifically planned for nurses who have not been actively employed in nursing and are preparing for reentry into nursing practice.
(dd) 'Reinstatement' means the process of reestablishing a license which has been suspended or revoked.
(ee) 'Relicensure' means the process of reestablishing a license which has lapsed as a result of failure to renew.
(ff) 'Renewal license' means the certificate or registration card issued to a licensee after the license has met renewal of licensure requirements in that jurisdiction.
(gg) 'Renewal period' means the period for renewal of licensure which is scheduled biennially beginning June 1 and ending June 30.
(hh) 'Respondent' means the person who is seeking licensure or who is licensed by the board and who has received notification from the board of an alleged violation of the Wyoming Nursing Practice Act or of board rules and regulations.
(ii) 'Self-study' means a comprehensive report written by the administrative head and faculty of a nursing education program, describing all aspects of the program pertaining to the criteria as stated in the established Standards For Nursing Education Programs.
(jj) 'Shall' means mandatory; required.
(kk) 'Site visit' means a planned visit by representatives of the board to the governing body for the purpose of program evaluation. When a site visit is deemed necessary by the board in conjunction with self-study, the purpose of the site visit will be to verify, clarify, and amplify information contained in the self-study.
(ll) 'Standard' means an authoritative statement by which the board can judge the quality of nursing education or nursing practice.
(mm) 'State board approved program' means a basic nursing education program which has met the minimum educational standards as prescribed by the appropriate jurisdiction.
(nn) 'Supervision' means the immediate availability of a licensed physician, dentist or registered professional nurse in the same patient care unit to continually observe, assist, coordinate and evaluate in person the practice of another.
(oo) 'Temporary permit' means a nonrenewable, nontransferable document permitting the practice of nursing as a registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse for a limited period of time.
(pp) 'Transcript' means an official document from the governing body which indicates the date of completion of the nursing education program, certificate or degree awarded, the official seal of the governing body, and evidence of program requirements.