Is a Decree of Censure from The Arizona Nursing Board Public?
Yes, a decree of censure is considered formal discipline and is reported to NURSYS (the national database for verification of nurse licensure). So, a decree of censure would always show up if an employer were to verify your license on NURSYS.
What is a Decree of Censure?
A decree of censure is the lowest level of formal discipline. There are no probationary requirements, but the Order will be listed on NURSYS forever. Under current Arizona Board of Nursing (“Board”) laws, past discipline cannot be removed from NURSYS (the national database for verification of nurse licensure). In 2018, the Board moved license verification from the Board’s website to NURSYS. Previous Board policy removed all disciplinary actions from a nurse’s record after a five-year period.
What Does the Board Considered Discipline?
- Revocation
- Suspension
- Voluntary Surrender
- Probation (Consent Agreement)
- Civil Penalty
- Decree of Censure
Only Two Options for Removal
Per Nursys rules, there are effectively only two ways for a discipline case to be removed or deleted from the database:
- Board Error: If discipline has been attached to your license by error, the Board can correct this delete the incorrect report.
- Expungement of Case: The Arizona Board of Nursing does not currently offer the expungement of any past disciplinary case. There would need to be a change in Arizona law for this to become an option.
Letter of Concern
So, Is a Letter of Concern from the Arizona Board of Nursing Public? Yes and No. A letter of concern is not considered formal discipline and is not reported to NURSYS (the national database for verification of nurse licensure). So, a letter of concern would never show up if an employer were to verify your license on NURSYS.
What is a Letter of Concern?
A letter of concern from the Arizona Board of Nursing is a letter sent to the nurse that expresses concern that the nurse’s conduct was not ideal; however, the conduct does not necessarily violate the Nurse Practice Act.
However, a letter of concern is subject to Arizona Public Records Law and if someone were to specifically request a nurse’s disciplinary or non-disciplinary history the Board would be required to provide it. That scenario would be extremely rare and should not cause concern for the nurse.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Arizona Nursing Board Discipline services services and how to protect your rights, set up a consultation with Chelle Law and our Arizona Nursing Attorney reach out to us today.