The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Adverse action" means any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by a state's laws which is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against a nurse, including actions against an individual's license or multistate licensure privilege such as revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the licensee, limitation on the licensee's practice, or any other encumbrance on licensure affecting a nurse's authorization to practice, including issuance of a cease and desist action.

(2) "Alternative program" means a nondisciplinary monitoring program approved by a licensing board.

(3) "Coordinated licensure information system" means an integrated process for collecting, storing, and sharing information on nurse licensure and enforcement activities related to nurse licensure laws that is administered by a nonprofit organization composed of and controlled by licensing boards.

(4) "Current significant investigative information" means:

(a) Investigative information that a licensing board, after a preliminary inquiry that includes notification and an opportunity for the nurse to respond, if required by state law, has reason to believe is not groundless and, if proved true, would indicate more than a minor infraction; or

(b) Investigative information that indicates that the nurse represents an immediate threat to public health and safety regardless of whether the nurse has been notified and had an opportunity to respond.

(5) "Encumbrance" means a revocation or suspension of, or any limitation on, the full and unrestricted practice of nursing imposed by a licensing board.

(6) "Home state" means the party state which is the nurse's primary state of residence.

(7) "Interstate commission" means the interstate commission of nurse licensure compact administrators.

(8) "Licensing board" means a party state's regulatory body responsible for issuing nurse licenses.

(9) "Multistate license" means a license to practice as a registered or a licensed practical nurse or vocational nurse issued by a home state licensing board that authorizes the licensed nurse to practice in all party states under a multistate licensure privilege.

(10) "Multistate licensure privilege" means a legal authorization associated with a multistate license permitting the practice of nursing as either a registered nurse, or licensed practical or vocational nurse, in a remote state.

(11) "Nurse" means registered nurse, or licensed practical or vocational nurse, as those terms are defined by each party state's practice laws.

(12) "Party state" means any state that has adopted this compact.

(13) "Remote state" means a party state, other than the home state.

(14) "Single-state license" means a nurse license issued by a party state that authorizes practice only within the issuing state and does not include a multistate licensure privilege to practice in any other party state.

(15) "State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States or the District of Columbia.

(16) "State practice laws" means a party state's laws, rules, and regulations that govern the practice of nursing, define the scope of nursing practice, and create the methods and grounds for imposing discipline. State practice laws do not include requirements necessary to obtain and retain a license, except for qualifications or requirements of the home state.