A graduate nurse may practice practical nursing only in accordance with the Act and this chapter.
An individual may be authorized to engage in the supervised practice of practical nursing, as a graduate nurse, without a District of Columbia license if the individual:
A person who has been denied a license, disciplined, convicted of an offense that bears directly upon his or her fitness to be licensed, or who has such an action pending in the District of Columbia or another jurisdiction shall not practice pursuant to this section unless first authorized by the Board in writing.
Within five (5) business days after the application for licensure by exam has been received by the Board's staff, the Board's staff shall, at the request of the applicant, issue a supervised practice letter to the applicant to document that his or her application is pending and that he or she is authorized to practice under the Act and this chapter. The practice letter is not renewable and shall expire:
Upon receipt of the practice letter, the graduate nurse shall inform employers of the date of expiration of the letter and shall immediately cease professional nursing practice on that date or upon receipt of written notice from the Board that the application for licensure has been denied, whichever date is the earliest. The graduate nurse thereafter may practice in a non-professional healthcare occupation, until receipt of a license or issuance of a license number.
Only a registered nurse licensed under the Act, who is a supervisor, shall be authorized to supervise the practice of practical nursing by a graduate nurse.
All supervised practice of a graduate nurse shall take place under general or immediate supervision.
A graduate nurse who practices pursuant to this section shall only practice at a hospital, long-term care facility, a health facility operated by the District or federal government, or other health care facility considered appropriate and approved by the Board.
A graduate nurse shall not be eligible to practice practical nursing in any of the following settings;
A graduate nurse practicing under this section shall not assume administrative or technical responsibility for the operation of a nursing program, unit, service, or institution.
A graduate nurse shall identify himself or herself as such before engaging in the supervised practice of practical nursing. A student shall wear a picture identification badge with lettering clearly visible to the client bearing the name of the student and the position title.
A graduate nurse shall not receive compensation of any nature, directly or indirectly, from a client or client's family member, except for a salary based on hours worked under supervision.
The supervisor shall be fully responsible for the practice by a graduate nurse during the period of supervision and may be subject to disciplinary action for violations of the Act or this chapter by the graduate nurse.
The Board may deny an application for licensure by, or take other disciplinary action against, a graduate nurse who is found to have violated the Act or this chapter. The Board may, in addition to any other disciplinary actions permitted by the Act, revoke, suspend, or restrict the privilege of the graduate nurse to practice.
D.C. Mun. Regs. r. 17-5512