Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 50 – Uniform licensure

		Sections
Subchapter I	Care and Service Residential Facilities	50.01 – 50.14
Subchapter II	Hospitals	50.32 – 50.498
Subchapter III	Rural Medical Centers	50.50 – 50.57
Subchapter V	Clinics	50.60 – 50.65
Subchapter VI	Hospices	50.90 – 50.981

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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 50 - Uniform licensure

Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years, except that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated any state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, "adult" means a person who has attained the age of 17 years. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Adult family home: means one of the following and does not include a place that is specified in sub. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01
Advanced practice nurse prescriber: means an advanced practice nurse who is certified under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01
Affected commodity: means any agricultural commodity for which the production, marketing, processing, handling, sale or distribution of is included under the terms of a marketing order or marketing agreement or a proposed marketing order or marketing agreement. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01
Affected producer or handler: means any producer or handler of an affected commodity, except that it does not include a producer or handler not assenting to a marketing agreement. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01
Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
Allegation: something that someone says happened.
Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
Articles: means the articles of incorporation of a cooperative unless the context otherwise requires. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
Association: includes both cooperatives and foreign cooperatives. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
Basic care: includes periodic skilled nursing services or physical, emotional, social or restorative care. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01
Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
Board: means the board of directors of a cooperative. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
Bylaws: means the bylaws of a cooperative. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
Chiropractor: means a person holding a license issued by the chiropractic examining board. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Community-based residential facility: means a place where 5 or more adults who are not related to the operator or administrator and who do not require care above intermediate level nursing care reside and receive care, treatment or services that are above the level of room and board but that include no more than 3 hours of nursing care per week per resident. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01
Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
Cooperative: means an association incorporated under this chapter. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
Corporation: means all corporations not associations. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01
County board: means the county board of supervisors. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
Dentist: means a person who is licensed as a dentist under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
deputy sealer: means a sealer of weights and measures and deputy sealer of weights and measures of a municipality, respectively. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01
Devise: To gift property by will.
Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
Facility: means a nursing home or community-based residential facility. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01
Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
Fire department: includes a department under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Fire fighter: includes a person serving under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Food: has the meaning specified in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 99.01
Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
Foreign cooperative: means an association incorporated under a cooperative law of another state which has members residing within this state and which is operating on the following cooperative basis:

(a) No member of the foreign cooperative who is an individual is allowed more than one vote because of the amount of stock or membership capital the member owns therein; and

(b) The foreign cooperative shall not deal in the products of or for nonmembers to an amount greater in value than such as are handled by it for members; and

Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.

Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.

Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.

Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.

Handler: means any person engaged in the business of distributing or placing an agricultural commodity in commercial channels, or any person engaged in the business of processing an agricultural commodity. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01

Heretofore: means any time previous to the day on which the statute containing it takes effect; "hereafter" means the time after the statute containing such word takes effect. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Highway: includes all public ways and thoroughfares and all bridges upon the same. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Home health agency: has the meaning given under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

homestead: means the dwelling and so much of the land surrounding it as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home, but not less than one-fourth acre, if available, and not exceeding 40 acres. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Immediate jeopardy: means a situation in which a nursing home's noncompliance with one or more requirements under Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}

Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.

Inspector: means a state inspector of weights and measures. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01

Intensive skilled nursing care: means care requiring specialized nursing assessment skills and the performance of specific services and procedures that are complex because of the resident's condition or the type or number of procedures that are necessary, including any of the following:

(a) Direct patient observation or monitoring or performance of complex nursing procedures by registered nurses or licensed practical nurses on a continuing basis. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Intermediate level nursing care: means basic care that is required by a person who has a long-term illness or disability that has reached a relatively stable plateau. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.

Land: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.

Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent

Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.

Licensed practical nurse: means a licensed practical nurse who is licensed or has a temporary permit under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.

Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).

Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.

Marital child: means either of the following:

(a) A child who is conceived or born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Marketing agreement: means an agreement entered into by the secretary under this chapter. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01

Marketing order: means an order issued by the secretary under this chapter. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01

Member: means a person who has been qualified and accepted for membership in an association. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01

members: as used in this chapter with respect to the right of a member to vote, voting procedure, the required proportion of member votes, actions that must or may be taken by members, the number of members required for a quorum and the eligibility of directors, means a member or members entitled to vote, unless the bylaws provide otherwise. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01

Membership stock: means any class of stock, continuous ownership of which is required for membership in a cooperative. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01

Minor: means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, except that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated a state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, "minor" does not include a person who has attained the age of 17 years. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Month: means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.

Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.

Municipality: means a city or village. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01

Nonmarital child: means a child who is neither conceived nor born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried, who is not adopted and whose parents do not subsequently intermarry under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Nurse aide: means a person who performs routine patient care duties delegated by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who supervises the person, for the direct health care of a patient or resident. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Nursing care: means nursing procedures, other than personal care, that are permitted to be performed by a registered nurse under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Nursing home: means a place where 5 or more persons who are not related to the operator or administrator reside, receive care or treatment and, because of their mental or physical condition, require access to 24-hour nursing services, including limited nursing care, intermediate level nursing care and skilled nursing services. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Nursing home administrator: has the meaning assigned in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Oath: A promise to tell the truth.

Oath: includes affirmation in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

Operator: means any person licensed or required to be licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.

Patronage: means business done by a patron with a cooperative and, if the bylaws provide, labor performed for a cooperative by a patron. See Wisconsin Statutes 185.01

Personal care: means assistance with the activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, bathing and ambulation, but does not include nursing care. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Personal property: All property that is not real property.

Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, evidences of debt and energy. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Personal representative: means a person, however denominated, who is authorized to administer a decedent's estate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Physician assistant: means a person who is licensed as a physician assistant under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.

Plan of correction: means a nursing home's response to alleged deficiencies cited by the department on forms provided by the department. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.

Population: means that shown by the most recent regular or special federal census. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}

Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.

Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.

Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.

Producer: means any person engaged in the business of producing or causing to be produced for market in commercial quantities any agricultural commodity. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01

Property: includes food; agricultural and commercial products, commodities or equipment; household furnishings; automobiles, boats, snowmobiles or other vehicles and conveyances; and all other items of a personal, family, household, agricultural, business or commercial nature which may be the subject of a contract of storage. See Wisconsin Statutes 99.01

Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.

Psychologist: means a psychologist who is licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.

Public warehouse: includes a food warehouse, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 99.01

Public warehouse keeper: means any person who is required to be licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 99.01

Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

railroad company: include any person managing, maintaining, operating or in possession of a railroad, whether as owner, contractor, lessee, mortgagee, trustee, assignee or receiver. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

real property: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Recuperative care: means care anticipated to be provided in a nursing home for a period of 90 days or less for a resident whose physician has certified that he or she is convalescing or recuperating from an illness or medical treatment. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Referendum: means any voting procedure under which affected producers or handlers may, by secret ballot, vote for or against the issuance, amendment or termination of a marketing order. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01

Registered nurse: means a registered nurse who is licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Registered nurse: includes a registered nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.

Resident: means a person who is cared for or treated in and is not discharged from a nursing home, community-based residential facility or adult family home, irrespective of how admitted. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Residential care apartment complex: means a place where 5 or more adults reside that consists of independent apartments, each of which has an individual lockable entrance and exit, a kitchen, including a stove, and individual bathroom, sleeping and living areas, and that provides, to a person who resides in the place, not more than 28 hours per week of services that are supportive, personal and nursing services. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Respite care: means care anticipated to be provided in a nursing home for a period of 28 days or less for the purpose of temporarily relieving a family member or other caregiver from his or her daily caregiving duties. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.

seal: includes the word "seal" the letters "L S" and a scroll or other device intended to represent a seal, if any is affixed in the proper place for a seal, as well as an impression of a seal on the instrument. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

Short-term care: means recuperative care or respite care provided in a nursing home. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Skilled nursing services: means those services, to which all of the following apply, that are provided to a resident under a physician's orders:

(a) The services require the skills of and are provided directly by or under the supervision of a person whose licensed, registered, certified or permitted scope of practice is at least equivalent to that of a licensed practical nurse. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

sold: include barter or exchange, and any offering or exposing for sale or possession with intent to sell. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01

Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

stove: means a cooking appliance that is a microwave oven of at least 1,000 watts or that consists of burners and an oven. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.

Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

Sworn: includes "affirmed" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.

Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent

Testify: Answer questions in court.

Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.

Town: may be construed to include cities, villages, wards or districts. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Town board: means the town board of supervisors. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.

Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

United States: includes the District of Columbia, the states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories organized by congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.

Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.

Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime.

Village: means incorporated village. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Violation: means a failure to comply with any provision of this subchapter or administrative rule promulgated thereunder. See Wisconsin Statutes 50.01

Warehouse: means any building, room, structure or facility used for the storage of property. See Wisconsin Statutes 99.01

Week: means 7 consecutive days. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Weight: means net weight when used in reference to a commodity. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01

Weights and measures: means weights and measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and measuring, and any appliances and accessories used with any or all such instruments and devices, except meters for the measurement of electricity, gas (natural and manufactured) or water when the same are operated in a public utility system. See Wisconsin Statutes 98.01

Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.