North Dakota § 43-65-01 - Definitions

§ 43-65-01. Definitions

As used in this chapter: 1. "Advertisement" means a communication or statement, whether printed, electronic, or oral, which names the health care practitioner in relation to the practitioner's practice, profession, or institution in which the practitioner is employed, volunteers, or otherwise provides health care services. The term includes a communication or statement on a business card, on letterhead, in a patient brochure, in electronic mail, on the internet, in an audio or video format, and any other communication or statement used in the course of business. 2. "Deceptive" or "misleading" includes an advertisement or affirmative communication or representation that misstates, falsely describes, holds out, or falsely details the health care practitioner's profession, skills, training, expertise, education, board certification, or licensure. 3. "Health care practitioner" means the following health care licensure types: a. Practitioners of allopathic medicine, signified by the letters "M.D." or the words surgeon, medical doctor, or doctor of medicine, by an individual licensed to practice medicine and surgery. b. Practitioners of osteopathic medicine, signified by the letters "D.O." or the words surgeon, osteopathic surgeon, osteopath, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of osteopathic medicine. c. Practitioners of nursing, signified by the letters "D.N.P.", "N.P.", "R.N.", "L.P.N.", "C.R.N.A.", or any other commonly used signifier to denote a doctorate of nursing practice, advanced practice practitioner, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or certified registered nurse anesthetist, respectively, as appropriate to signify the degree of licensure and degree earned from an accredited institution of higher education in the appropriate field of learning. d. Practitioners of podiatry, signified by the letters "D.P.M." or the words podiatrist, doctor of podiatry, podiatric surgeon, or doctor of podiatric medicine. e. Practitioners of chiropractic, signified by the letters "D.C." or the words chiropractor, chiropractic physician, or doctor of chiropractic. f. Practitioners of naturopathy, signified by the letters "N.D." or the words naturopathic doctor or doctor of naturopathy. g. Physician assistants, signified by the letters "P.A." or the words physician assistant. h. Physical therapists, signified by the letters "P.T.", "D.P.T.", "M.P.T.", or the words physical therapists. i. Medical assistants, signified by the letters "M.A." or the words medical assistant. j. Practitioners of audiology, signified by the letters "Au.D.", "Sc.D.", "Ph.D.", or the words audiologist or doctor of audiology. k. Psychologists, signified by the letters "Ph.D.", "Psy.D.", "Ed.D." or the word psychologist.