Who Does the AZ Board of Nursing Regulate?
The Arizona State Board of Nursing licenses and regulates the following:
- Certified Nursing Assistants
- Licensed Nursing Assistants
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Registered Nurses
- Advanced Practice:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- CRNA
- School Nurses
Arizona State Board of Nursing
The 5-Year Plan of the Arizona Board of Nursing includes the following:
- Assure the governance framework supports the Board’s mission and vision.
- License/certify only qualified nurses and nursing assistants that assure public safety.
- Investigate unsafe or incompetent nurses and licensed/certified nursing assistants; remediate or remove them from practice.
- Review and approve or sanction nursing education programs consistent with Board rules.
- Ensure nursing regulations are up-to-date and reflect a state-of-the-art & science of practice.
AZ Meeting Minutes
Reviewing the old Board Meeting Minutes is a great way to learn more about the Board. The Minutes can detail the regulation of nurses by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and what each committee does. Meetings can include the Nurse Practice Act, license verification, information about board policy, statutes, nursing programs, and advisory opinions.
Chelle Law assists nurses under investigation by the Arizona Board of Nursing. You can find these on the Board’s website.
Nurse Practice Attorneys
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.
Arizona Nursing Board Discipline
When a nurse faces a complaint or investigation by their nursing board, they may face Arizona Board of Nursing disciplinary actions. Facing disciplinary action can have vast repercussions on a nursing career.
It can include license probation, suspension, or revocation. It can also jeopardize employment. A nurse under investigation can face termination at their current job after receiving a complaint or after the Board initiates an investigation.
When Disciplinary Action Can Take Place
Certain allegations can cause a nurse to receive disciplinary action. These include:
- Improper record keeping
- Reporting false information
- Negligence
- Physical abuse of patients
- Sexual abuse of patients
- Criminal convictions
- Substance Abuse
- Disruptive Conduct
AZ Nurses Complaint
Any discipline a nurse receives from the Arizona Board of Nursing depends upon the violation. There’s a whole range of disciplines that can occur. Not only can a license be revoked, but there can also be a denial of certification or licensure. There can also be civil penalties. Sometimes the Board requires a voluntary surrender of the license or a probation period.
Published Discipline Report (RN, LPN, LNA, NP)
The Arizona Board of Nursing publishes a report every time a disciplinary action takes place. It happens with any RN as well as LPNs and CNAs. It also includes applicants denied their certification or licensure. This report goes into the Arizona State Board of Nursing Quarterly Journal.
The details of the report include the following:
- Date of disciplinary action
- Nurse’s name
- Certificate number
- Discipline taken
- Nature of the violation
It is of concern to any nursing professional to have this detailed listing anyone can see.
Arizona Nursing Regulatory Journal Disciplinary Action
The Arizona Board of Nursing publishes a report detailing Arizona Nursing Regulatory Journal Disciplinary Action of all disciplinary action regarding licensed nursing assistants (LNA), registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurses (LPN), and Nurse Practitioners in the Arizona State Board of Nursing Quarterly Regulatory Journal (Journal).
The report lists currently licensed, or certified nurses and any applicants or re-applicants denied certification or licensure.
The Report lists in detail the following:
- The effective date of the disciplinary action
- Nurse’s name
- Certificate number
- Discipline taken
- Nature of the violation
AZ Nursing Disciplinary Action
Besides having your name published for all to see, the detailed listing of the nature of the violation should cause any nurse concern. Patient abuse, criminal convictions, disruptive conduct, and sexual misconduct are just a few of the possible violations listed by the Board.
The discipline taken can range from:
- Revocation
- Civil penalties
- Denial of certification/licensure
- Decree of censure
- Voluntary surrender
- Probation
- Stayed revocation with probation
Arizona Nursing Board Administrative Violations
The Arizona Board of Nursing can or will impose sanctions when nurse administrative violations occur. Awareness of the possible penalties or consequences of violations can help you maintain your Arizona nursing license and a good reputation in your career.
Administrative Violations
In Arizona law, nurses can receive an administrative penalty from the Arizona Board of Nursing for a few reasons. These include:
- The failure to renew a nursing license or nurse assistant certificate. Nurses must renew their licenses on time while continuing to practice nursing or face consequences.
- Failing to notify the Arizona Board of Nursing in writing within thirty days after a change in address.
Administrative Penalties
When a nurse receives a fine from the Arizona Board of Nursing, it can be as much as $1,000.00. The amount the Board can impose upon a nurse depends on the violation.
For example, if a nurse fails to notify the Board of a change in address, the nurse will most likely get a warning or a small fine.
Another example is when a nurse practices without a license but hasn’t intended to deceive the Board of Nursing by failing to renew. In this instance, there are specific fines. RNs and LPNs have penalties ranging from $100 to $500, while a Certified Nursing Assistant can see fines ranging from $25 to $75.
It is important to note when there has been a violation, the Board of Nursing will refer the employer of the violating nurse to the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS). It generally happens when the nurse fails to renew for two months or more. After being referred to the DHS, the employer can also sanction the nurse.
Arizona Nursing Board Complaint
If you are a nurse in Arizona, you may have questions about how the Arizona Board of Nursing (AZBN) handles an Arizona Board of Nursing Complaint and investigation. A registered nurse (RN), nurse practitioner (NP), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), or nursing programs may find themselves at the center of a complaint and or investigation of their license or certificate.
Complaints can come from a patient, employer, or even another nurse. At the same time, investigations can occur because of a criminal conviction, disciplinary action by another state’s nursing board, or the self-report of a substance abuse problem.
What is NURSYS?
NURSYS is a comprehensive national database that enables nurses to gain access to information about their practice privileges and the state board they are registered with. Employers can also use this service because it helps them verify whether someone meets the requirements on licensing, discipline history, and past employment records from one source.
Under current Arizona law, once a disciplinary action is reported to NURSYS from the Arizona Nursing Board, one can never remove it. They used to remove disciplinary actions from the Board’s website after five years. However, that policy has changed now that the Board no longer hosts its own license verification.
How an Attorney Can Help
When nurse administrative violations occur, it is crucial to retain an attorney to help you handle the complexities. While all Arizona nurses should renew their licenses on time, things happen.
If you are a nurse who feels wrongly accused, contact Chelle Law today.
