Chapter 90

No agency of the State, county or municipality, nor any commission or clinic, nor any board administering relief, social security, health insurance or health service under the laws of the State of North Carolina shall deny to the recipients or beneficiaries of their aid or servic…

A Doctor of Chiropractic, for all legal purposes, shall be considered an expert in his field and, when properly qualified, may testify in a court of law as to: (1) The etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and disability, including anatomical, neurological, physiological, and pathologi…

(a) Each partner in a partnership that is engaged in the practice of chiropractic shall be licensed under this Article. (b) Each general partner in a limited partnership that is engaged in the practice of chiropractic and each limited partner who takes part in the control of the …

(a) The Board may assess a civil penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the violation of any section of this Article or any rule adopted by the Board. If a licensee is found responsible for multiple violations in the same disciplinary actions, the maximum cumula…

(a) The North Carolina Medical Board shall keep a regular record of its proceedings with the names of the members of the Board present and other information as to its actions. The North Carolina Medical Board shall publish the names of those licensed within 30 days after granting…

The General Assembly of North Carolina finds that mandatory licensure of all who engage in the practice of nursing is necessary to ensure minimum standards of competency and to provide the public safe nursing care. (1981, c. 360, s. 1.)

As used in this Article, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) "Board" means the North Carolina Board of Nursing. (2) "Health care provider" means any licensed health care professional and any agent or employee of any health care institution, health care insurer, health care…

(a) The Board shall consist of 14 members. Eight members shall be registered nurses. Three members shall be licensed practical nurses. Three members shall be representatives of the public. (b) Selection. - The North Carolina Board of Nursing shall conduct an election each year to…

The officers of the Board shall be a chair, a vice-chair, and any other officers the Board considers necessary. All officers shall be elected annually by the Board for terms of one year and shall serve until their successors have been elected and qualified. (1981, c. 360, s. 1; 2…

(a) Meetings. - The Board shall hold at least two meetings each year to transact its business. The Board shall adopt rules with respect to calling, holding, and conducting regular and special meetings and attendance at meetings. The majority of the Board members constitutes a quo…

The executive director shall perform the duties prescribed by the Board and serve as secretary/treasurer to the Board. (1981, c. 360, s. 1; 1993, c. 198, s. 1; 2009-133, s. 2.)

The executive director shall deposit in financial institutions designated by the Board as official depositories all fees payable to the Board. The funds shall be deposited in the name of the Board and shall be used to pay all expenses incurred by the Board in carrying out the pur…

The Board may accept grants, contributions, devises, and gifts which shall be kept in a separate fund and shall be used by it to enhance the practice of nursing. (1981, c. 360, s. 1; 2011-284, s. 63.)

(a) All salaries, compensation, and expenses incurred or allowed for the purposes of carrying out this Article shall be paid by the Board exclusively out of the fees received by the Board as authorized by this Article, or funds received from other sources. In no case shall any sa…

On June 30, 1981, any nurse who holds a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, issued by a competent authority pursuant to laws providing for the licensure of nurses in North Carolina, shall be deemed to be licensed under the provisions of …

In order to be eligible for licensure by examination, the applicant shall make a written application to the Board on forms furnished by the Board and shall submit to the Board an application fee and written evidence, verified by oath, sufficient to satisfy the Board that the appl…

At least twice each year the Board shall give an examination, at the time and place it determines, to applicants for licensure to practice as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. The Board shall adopt rules, not inconsistent with this Article, governing qualifications …

Any applicant who fails to pass the first licensure examination may take subsequent examinations in accordance with the rules of the Board. (1981, c. 360, s. 1; 1993, c. 198, s. 4.)

The Board may, without examination, issue a license to an applicant who is duly licensed as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse under the laws of another state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or foreign country when that jurisdiction's requir…

(a), (b) Repealed by Session Laws 2019-180, s. 6, effective October 1, 2019, and applicable to licenses granted or renewed on or after that date and actions taken by the Board of Nursing on or after that date. (c) The Board may issue a nonrenewable temporary license to persons ap…

Every unencumbered license, except temporary license, issued under this Article shall be renewed for two years. On or before the date the current license expires, every person who desires to continue to practice nursing shall apply for licensure renewal to the Board on forms furn…

A licensee who has allowed license to lapse by failure to renew as herein provided may apply for reinstatement on a form provided by the Board. The Board shall require the applicant to return the completed application with the required fee and to furnish a statement of the reason…

(a) When a licensee submits a request for inactive status, the Board shall issue to the licensee a statement of inactive status and shall place the licensee's name on the inactive list. While on the inactive list, the person shall not be subjected to renewal requirements and shal…

(a) After a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse has retired, upon payment of the one-time fee required by G.S. 90-171.27(b), the Board may issue a special license to a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse in recognition of the nurse's retired status. (b) If a r…

(a) The Board may initiate an investigation upon receipt of information about any practice that might violate any provision of this Article or any rule or regulation promulgated by the Board. In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes, the Board sha…

(a) The Board, in its discretion, may designate in writing three or more of its members to conduct hearings as a hearing committee to receive evidence. A majority of the hearing committee shall be licensed nurses. (b) Evidence and testimony may be presented at hearings before the…

(a) A licensee may appeal a public disciplinary action made by the Board under G.S. 90-171.37(a). A licensee may appeal any public disciplinary action made by the Board to the superior court located in the county where the licensee resides or where the Board is located by filing …

(a) All records, papers, investigative information, and other documents containing information that the Board, its members, or its employees possess, gather, or receive as a result of investigations, inquiries, assessments, or interviews conducted in connection with a licensing c…

(a) Any notice required by this Article may be served either personally by an employee of the Board or by an officer authorized by law to serve process, or by registered or certified mail, return requested, directed to the licensee or applicant at his or her last known address as…

(a) A nursing program may be operated under the authority of a general hospital, or an approved post-secondary educational institution. The Board shall establish, revise, or repeal standards for nursing programs. These standards shall specify program requirements, curricula, facu…

The Board shall designate persons to survey proposed nursing programs. The persons designated by the Board shall submit a written report of the survey to the Board. If in the opinion of the Board the standards for approved nursing education are met, the program shall be given app…

The Board shall review all nursing programs in the State at least every 10 years or more often as considered necessary. If the Board determines that any approved nursing program does not meet or maintain the standards required by the Board, the Board shall give written notice spe…

Every graduate of a diploma or associate degree school of nursing in this State who has passed the registered nurse examination shall, upon admission to any State-supported institution of higher learning offering baccalaureate education in nursing, be granted credit for previous …

(a) Upon request, the Board shall grant approval to continuing education programs upon a finding that the program offers an educational experience designed to enhance the practice of nursing. (b) If the program offers to teach nurses to perform advance skills, the Board may grant…

(a) No person shall practice or offer to practice as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, or use the word "nurse" as a title for herself or himself, or use an abbreviation to indicate that the person is a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, unless the person …

(a) Before hiring a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse in North Carolina, a health care facility shall verify that the applicant has a current, valid license to practice nursing pursuant to G.S. 90-171.43. (b) For purposes of this section, "health care facility" means…

It shall be a violation of this Article, and subject to action under G.S. 90-171.37, for any person to: (1) Sell, fraudulently obtain, or fraudulently furnish any nursing diploma or aid or abet therein. (2) Practice nursing under cover of any fraudulently obtained license. (3) Pr…

The violation of any provision of this Article, except G.S. 90-171.47, shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1981, c. 360, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 632; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

The Board may apply to the superior court for an injunction to prevent violations of this Article or of any rules enacted pursuant thereto. The court is empowered to grant such injunctions regardless of whether criminal prosecution or other action has been or may be instituted as…

Any person who has reasonable cause to suspect misconduct or incapacity of a licensee or who has reasonable cause to suspect that any person is in violation of this Article, including those actions specified in G.S. 90-171.37, G.S. 90-171.43, and G.S. 90-171.44, shall report the …

(a) Definitions. - The following definitions shall apply in this section: (1) Applicant. - A person applying for initial licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse either by examination pursuant to G.S. 90-171.29 or G.S. 90-171.30 or without examination pursuant …

If the Governor declares a state of emergency or a county or municipality enacts ordinances under G.S. 153A-121, 160A-174, 166A-19.31, or Article 22 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes, the Board may waive the requirements of this Article to allow emergency health services to…

The State Education Assistance Authority of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall consolidate information on existing scholarships and loan programs available for nursing education. The information shall be published in a brochure and made available to …

There is established an Emergency Financial Assistance Fund for students in State educational nursing and licensed practical nursing programs, to be administered by each campus. Emergency need is defined as acute financial need caused by a particular event which immediately and s…

The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall direct the constituent institutions and the State Board of Community Colleges shall direct the Community Colleges to provide follow-up assistance for their students who fail the nursing licensing exam for the first …

The Area Health Education Centers of The University of North Carolina and the Board of Nursing shall cooperate in developing publicity on: (1) New salary levels and job opportunities in nursing; (2) The availability of refresher courses; and (3) License renewal requirements for r…

(a) The Board of Nursing, established pursuant to G.S. 90-171.21, shall establish a Nurses Aides Registry for persons functioning as nurses aides regardless of title. The Board shall consider those Level I nurses aides employed in State licensed or Medicare/Medicaid certified nur…

The Board of Nursing shall do the following: (1) Establish standards for faculty and applicant requirements for medication aide training. (2) Provide ongoing review and evaluation, and recommend changes, for faculty and medication aide training requirements to support safe medica…

There is established the North Carolina Center for Nursing to address issues of supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment, retention, and utilization of nurse manpower resources. The General Assembly finds that the Center will repay the State's investment by …

The General Assembly finds that it is imperative that the State protect its investment and progress made in its nursing efforts to date. The General Assembly further finds that the North Carolina Center for Nursing is the appropriate means to do so. The Center shall have State bu…