Section 597.10  Definitions

"Academic year" means the period of time from September 1 of one year through August 31 of the next year or as otherwise defined by the academic institution.  (Section 3(6) of the Law)

"Accepted for admission" means a student has completed the requirements for entry into an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing program, or certificate in practical nursing program at an approved institution, as documented by the institution.  (Section 3(10) of the Law)

"Administrative Law Judge" means the person appointed to preside at administrative hearings under Subpart A of this Part.

"Advanced practice nurse" or "APN" means a person who has met the qualifications for a certified nurse midwife (CNM), certified nurse practitioner (CNP); certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA); or clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and has been licensed by the Department of Financial  and Professional Regulation.  (Section 50-10 of the Nurse Practice Act)

"Approved institution" means a public community college, private junior college, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, or public or private college or university located in this State that has approval by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for an associate degree in nursing program, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing program, hospital-based diploma in nursing program, baccalaureate degree in nursing program, graduate degree in nursing program,  or certificate in practical nursing program.  (Section 3(3) of the Law)

"Associate degree in nursing program" or "hospital-based diploma in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to an associate degree in nursing, associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, or hospital-based diploma in nursing.   (Section 3(7) of the Law)

"Baccalaureate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a bachelor of science degree in nursing.  (Section 3(4) of the Law)

"Business day" means any day, including Monday through Friday.  It does not include a federal or State government declared holiday, Saturday or Sunday

"Calendar day" means all days in a month or prescribed time frame.  It includes weekends and federal or State government declared holidays.

"Center for Nursing Advisory Board" means the board that advises the Department on issues affecting the nursing profession in Illinois (see Section 6.5(b) of the Law and the Nurse Practice Act).

"Class rank" is the measure of how a student's performance compares to other students in his or her class.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.  (Section 3(2) of the Law)

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.  (Section 3(9) of the Law)

"Enrollment" means the establishment and maintenance of an individual's status as a nursing student in an approved institution, regardless of the terms used at the institution to describe such status.  (Section 3(5) of the Law)

"Fees" means those mandatory charges, in addition to tuition, that all students enrolled in a nursing program must pay, including required course or lab fees.  (Section 3(11) of the Law)

"Full-time nursing employment" means providing direct patient care of at least 24 hours per week for those persons working weekend shifts, or 35 hours or more per week for those working weekday shifts.

"Full-time nursing student" means a student who is enrolled in a nursing program for at least 12 credit hours per term or as otherwise determined as full-time by the academic institution. (Section 3(12) of the Law)  

"Grade point average" or "GPA" means a measure of a student's academic achievement, calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number of grade points attempted.

"Graduate degree in nursing program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a master of science degree in nursing or a doctorate of philosophy or doctorate of nursing degree in nursing.  (Section 3(8) of the Law)

"Law" means the Nursing Education Scholarship Law [110 ILCS 975].  (Section 3(13) of the Law)

"Licensed practical nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a licensed practical nurse by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act .  (Section 3(18) of the Law)

"Mean-Weighted Average Tuition and Fees" means the tuition and mandatory fees used for the Illinois Public Universities and Illinois Community Colleges by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for purposes of Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent undergraduate students enrolled at each such institution, added together, and divided by the sum of the full-time equivalent enrollments for the previous year at each institution.  This figure is calculated once per year and is used regardless of whether individual institutions adjust their tuition and mandatory fees for that same year.  The Mean-Weighted Average Tuition and Fees is calculated separately for Illinois Public Universities and Illinois Community Colleges (as cited in the COLLEGE ILLINOIS! Master Agreement and Disclosure Statement).

"Monetary Award Program" or "MAP" means a grant awarded by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) that provides payment toward tuition and mandatory fees for Illinois residents to attend an Illinois college.  Eligibility is based on financial need.  The maximum award depends on legislative action and available funding each year.

"Nurse educator" means a person who is currently licensed as a registered nurse by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act, who has a graduate degree in nursing, and who is employed by an approved academic institution to educate registered nursing students, licensed practical nursing students, and registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees. (Section 3(23) of the Law)

"Nurse educator employment" means employment by an approved academic institution in Illinois to educate nursing students.

"Nurse educator employment obligation" means employment in this State as a nurse educator for at least two years for each year of scholarship assistance received under Section 6.5 of the Law.  (Section 3(24) of the Law)

"Nursing employment obligation" means employment in this State as a registered professional nurse, licensed practical nurse, or advanced practice nurse in direct patient care  for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance received through the Nursing Education Scholarship Program.  (Section 3(14) of the Law)  

"Part-time nursing employment" means providing direct patient care for between 17.5 hours and 34 hours per week.

"Part-time student" means a person who is enrolled for at least one-third of the number of hours required per term by a school for its full-time students.  (Section 3(15) of the Law)

"Practical Nursing Program" means a program offered by an approved institution and leading to a certificate in practical nursing.  (Section 3(16) of the Law)

"Quarter" means a term within an academic year that marks the beginning and end of classes.  Quarters are approximately eight to 10 weeks in duration and there are four quarters in an academic year.

"Registered professional nurse" means a person who is currently licensed as a registered professional nurse by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Nurse Practice Act . (Section 3(17) of the Law)

"School term" means an academic term, such as a semester, quarter, or trimester, or number of clock hours, as defined by an approved institution.  (Section 3(19) of the Law)

"Semester" means a term within an academic year that marks the beginning and end of classes.  Semesters are approximately 15 to 16 weeks in duration and there are two semesters in an academic year.

"Summer term" means a term within an academic year that marks the beginning and end of classes.  The term is approximately four to nine weeks in duration and is typically offered during June, July and August of an academic year.

"Student in good standing" means a student enrolled in a nursing program maintaining a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least an academic grade of "C". (Section 3(20) of the Law)

"Total and permanent disability" means a physical or mental impairment, disease, or loss of a permanent nature that prevents nursing employment with or without reasonable accommodation.  Proof of disability shall be a declaration from the social security administration, Illinois Workers' Compensation  Commission, Department of Defense, or an insurer authorized to transact business in Illinois who is providing disability insurance coverage to a contractor. (Section 3(21) of the Law)  

"Trimester" means a term within an academic year that marks the beginning and end of classes.  Trimesters are approximately 12 to 15 weeks in duration and there are three trimesters in an academic year.

"Tuition" means the established charges of an institution of higher learning for instruction at that institution. (Section 3(22) of the Law)

(Source:  Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 4609, effective March 2, 2011)