(a)  The board of nurse registration and nursing education may provide for a nondisciplinary alternative in situations involving alcohol and drug abuse, or any mental illness as listed in the most recent revised publication or the most updated volume of either the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association or the International Classification of Disease Manual (ICO) published by the World Health Organization and that substantially limits the life activities of the person with the illness; provided, that the nurse agrees to voluntarily participate in a program of treatment and rehabilitation.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-34-24.1

  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Health: means optimum well-being. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-34-3
  • Nursing: means the provision of services that are essential to the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health throughout the continuum of life. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-34-3
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.

(b)  All records pertaining to a nurse’s participation in the non-disciplinary program are confidential and not subject to discovery, subpoena, or public disclosure. Information related to the nondisciplinary program shall be provided to the nurse’s employer to ensure adequate worksite monitoring and compliance.

History of Section.
P.L. 1995, ch. 43, § 2; P.L. 1995, ch. 198, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 125, § 2; P.L. 2003, ch. 138, § 2.