(1) "Advanced nursing practice" means practice by a registered professional nurse who meets those educational, practice, certification requirements, or any combination of such requirements, as specified by the board and includes certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists in psychiatric/mental health, and others recognized by the board.

(1.1) "Advanced practice registered nurse" means a registered professional nurse licensed under this chapter who is recognized by the board as having met the requirements established by the board to engage in advanced nursing practice and who holds a master's degree or other graduate degree from an approved nursing education program and national board certification in his or her area of specialty, or a person who was recognized as an advanced practice registered nurse by the board on or before June 30, 2006. This paragraph shall not be construed to require a certified registered nurse anesthetist who graduated from an approved nurse anesthetist educational program prior to January 1, 1999, to hold a master's degree or other graduate degree.

(1.2) "Approved nursing education program" located in this state means a nursing education program approved by the board as meeting criteria established by the board. An "approved nursing education program" located outside this state means a nursing education program that the board has determined to meet criteria similar to and not less stringent than criteria established by the board for nursing education programs located in this state. In order to be approved by the board, a nursing education program must be one that is offered by:

(A) A unit of the University System of Georgia accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;

(B) An institution of the Technical College System of Georgia accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;

(C) A postsecondary institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; or

(D) A postsecondary institution of higher education that is not accredited in accordance with subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, but whose curriculum has been determined by the board to meet criteria similar to and not less stringent than criteria established by the board for other approved nursing education programs.

(2) "Board" means the Georgia Board of Nursing created in Code Section 43-26-4.

(3) "Consumer member" means a United States citizen and Georgia resident who is knowledgeable about consumer health concerns, does not derive that person's primary livelihood from the practice of nursing, and shall neither be, nor ever have been, a health care provider or enrolled in any health related educational program.

(4) "License" means a current document, issued by the board, permitting a person to practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or a licensed undergraduate nurse.

(5) "Licensure" means the bestowing of a current license by the board permitting a person to practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or a licensed undergraduate nurse.

(6) "Practice nursing" or "practice of nursing" means to perform for compensation or the performance for compensation of any act in the care and counsel of the ill, injured, or infirm, and in the promotion and maintenance of health with individuals, groups, or both throughout the life span. It requires substantial specialized knowledge of the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and nursing theory as a basis for assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation. It includes, but is not limited to, provision of nursing care; administration, supervision, evaluation, or any combination thereof, of nursing practice; teaching; counseling; the administration of medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician practicing medicine in accordance with Article 2 of Chapter 34 of this title, or a dentist practicing dentistry in accordance with Chapter 11 of this title, or a podiatrist practicing podiatry in accordance with Chapter 35 of this title.

(7) "Practice nursing as a licensed undergraduate nurse" means to practice nursing by performing for compensation selected acts in the care of the ill, injured, or infirm under the direction of a registered professional nurse, a physician practicing medicine in accordance with Article 2 of Chapter 34 of this title, a dentist practicing dentistry in accordance with Chapter 11 of this title, or a podiatrist practicing podiatry in accordance with Chapter 35 of this title.

(8) "Practice nursing as a registered professional nurse" means to practice nursing by performing for compensation any of the following:

(A) Assessing the health status of individuals, groups, or both throughout the life span;

(B) Establishing a nursing diagnosis;

(C) Establishing nursing goals to meet identified health care needs;

(D) Planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care;

(E) Providing for safe and effective nursing care rendered directly or indirectly;

(F) Managing and supervising the practice of nursing;

(G) Collaborating with other members of the health care team in the management of care;

(H) Teaching the theory and practice of nursing;

(I) Administering, ordering, and dispensing medications, diagnostic studies, and medical treatments authorized by protocol, when such acts are authorized by other general laws and such acts are in conformity with those laws;

(J) Administering medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician practicing medicine in accordance with Article 2 of Chapter 34 of this title, a dentist practicing dentistry in accordance with Chapter 11 of this title, or a podiatrist practicing podiatry in accordance with Chapter 35 of this title; or

(K) Performing any other nursing act in the care and counsel of the ill, injured, or infirm, and in the promotion and maintenance of health with individuals, groups, or both throughout the life span.

(9) "Registered professional nurse" means a person who is authorized by a license issued under this article to practice nursing as a registered professional nurse.