Illinois Code § 10

§ 10.

Definitions. For the purpose of this Act: "Average daily census" means the average number of inpatients receiving service on any given 24-hour period beginning at midnight in each clinical service area of the hospital. "Clinical service area" means a grouping of clinical services by a generic class of various types or levels of support functions, equipment, care, or treatment provided to inpatients. Hospitals may have, but are not required to have, the following categories of service: behavioral health, critical care, maternal-child care, medical-surgical, pediatrics, perioperative services, and telemetry. "Department" means the Department of Public Health. "Direct-care nurse" and "direct-care nursing staff" includes any registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or assistive nursing personnel with direct responsibility to oversee or carry out medical regimens or nursing care for one or more patient. "Hospital" means a health care facility licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act. "Nursing care" means care that falls within the scope of practice set forth in the Nurse Practice Act or is otherwise encompassed within recognized professional standards of nursing practice, including assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and patient advocacy. "Retaliate" means to discipline, discharge, suspend, demote, harass, deny employment or promotion, lay off, or take any other adverse action against direct-care nursing staff as a result of that nursing staff taking any action described in this Act. "Skill mix" means the differences in licensing, specialty, and experiences among direct-care nurses. "Staffing levels" means the numerical nurse to patient ratio by licensed nurse classification within a nursing department or unit. "Unit" means a functional division or area of a hospital in which nursing care is provided. (Source: P.A. 95-639, eff. 10-5-07.)