Arizona Nursing Title Restrictions

In Arizona, there are laws that regulate who can use certain nursing titles in the state. These Arizona nursing title restrictions must be followed exactly. If they’re not they can lead to serious consequences with the Arizona Board of Nursing. Any individual who uses a title they have not legally obtained, can find themselves facing disciplinary actions. People who use a a title of a license or have had their license revoked also fall under this category.

Arizona Licensed Practical Nurse

Only when an individual holds a valid license to practice practical nursing in Arizona may he or she use the title licensed practical nurse, nurse or practical nurse or use the initials L.P.N. after their name. If they are registered in a state that is part of the Nursing License Compact they may also use those titles.

Arizona Registered Nurses

Only when a person holds a valid license to practice as an R.N. can he or she use the title nurse, registered nurse or professional nurse or use the initials R.N. after their name. If they are registered in a state that is part of the Nursing License Compact they may also use those titles.

Arizona Nurse Practitioner

Only when an individual holds a valid certificate to practice in Arizona as a registered nurse practitioner may he or she use the title registered nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner. The person must also indicate their specialty area of certification.

Arizona Retired Nurses

A retired nurse may not practice nursing, but he or she may use the title RN-retired, registered nurse-retired, LPN-retired, or licensed practical nurse-retired as applicable.

A Protected Title

A protected title is basically a contract between the state and a profession. It assures the public anyone using a this title has appropriate training. An example of this is a registered nurse.

Imposters in Arizona

Unfortunately, the Arizona State Board of Nursing continues to see a rise in the number of people who claim to be a nurse or work in positions which require that licensure. However, these people do not actually have valid licenses or credentials. Action is taken by the board to stop any and all imposters.  After all, patient safety is a critical part of any nurse’s career. Any person who claims to be a nurse or medical professional puts every patient at risk because they do not have they appropriate training to provide patient care.

The Arizona Board of Nursing finds these imposters and puts them on a list on their website so others can be alerted. Individuals on this list include:

• Those who have tried to get a position without a license.
• Have been employed and practiced without a license.
• Presented themselves as a nursing assistant or nurse without certification or licensure.

NURSYS Discipline Removal

Many ask Can Past Discipline from the Arizona Nursing Board be Removed from Nursys? No, 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.  This is no longer the policy.

What Does the Board Consider 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:

1. Board Error:  If discipline has been attached to your license by error, the Board can correct this delete the incorrect report.
2. 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.

When to Call a Nurse Attorney

Any nurse who find their professional license in jeopardy with their board of nursing should contact an attorney. An attorney with experience can help you not only keep your license but your livelihood. If you have questions about Arizona nursing title restrictions or Arizona Board of Nursing issues, contact one of the nurse attorney’s at Chelle Law or schedule a consultation today.

If you’re interested in learning more about our Arizona Nursing Board Discipline services and how to protect your rights, set up a consultation with Chelle Law and our Arizona Nursing Attorney reach out to us today.