South Australian Repealed Acts

This legislation has been repealed.

NURSES ACT 1999 - SECT 3

3—Interpretation

        (1)         In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

"Board" means the Nurses Board of South Australia established under this Act;

"enrolled nurse" means a person whose name is on the nurses roll; ¹

"equipment" includes appliances, instruments, dressings, specimens or substances used in nursing or used in or for the purpose of medical treatment;

"legal practitioner" means a person admitted and enrolled as a practitioner of the Supreme Court of South Australia;

"health professional" means—

            (a)         a medical practitioner; or

            (b)         a psychologist or a neuropsychologist; or

            (c)         any other person who belongs to a profession, or who has an occupation, declared by the Board, by notice in the Gazette, to be a profession or occupation within the ambit of this definition;

"medical practitioner" means a legally qualified medical practitioner;

"mental health nurse" means a person who is authorised under this Act to practise mental health nursing;

"mental health nurses register"—see section 22(3)(c);

"mental health nursing" means nursing care provided to a person in the field of mental health;

"midwife" means a person who is authorised under this Act to practise midwifery;

"midwifery" means care, assistance or support provided to a mother or child in relation to pregnancy or the birth of a child;

"midwives register"—see section 22(3)(b);

"nurse" means a person who is registered or enrolled under this Act;

"nurses roll" or "roll" means the roll under section 22(1)(b);

"record" means—

            (a)         a documentary record; or

            (b)         a record made by an electronic, electromagnetic, photographic or optical process; or

            (c)         any other kind of record;

"registered" means registered under this Act;

"Registrar" means the person holding the office of Registrar of the Board under this Act;

"special practice area"—see subsection (3);

"State" includes a Territory;

"supervision" includes oversight, direction, guidance or support (whether given directly or indirectly);

"unprofessional conduct" includes—

            (a)         improper or unethical conduct in relation to nursing; and

            (b)         incompetence or negligence in relation to nursing; and

            (c)         a contravention of or failure to comply with—

                  (i)         a provision of this Act; or

                  (ii)         a code of conduct or professional standard endorsed by the Board under this Act; or

                  (iii)         a condition imposed under this Act in relation to the registration or enrolment of a nurse or in relation to the provision of nursing care by a nurse.

        (2)         A reference in this Act to unprofessional conduct extends to—

            (a)         unprofessional conduct committed before the commencement of this Act; and

            (b)         unprofessional conduct committed within or outside South Australia or the Commonwealth.

        (3)         For the purposes of this Act, the following are special practice areas:

            (a)         midwifery;

            (b)         mental health nursing;

            (c)         any other area of nursing recognised by the Board as being a special practice area (see section 16).

Note—

1         An enrolled nurse is (subject to this Act) authorised to practise in the field of nursing under the supervision of a registered nurse (or under special arrangements approved by the Board).