Ifyouhavefiledacomplaint(“Complainant”):submitallwrittendocumentationregardingyourconcerns,observations
andimpressionsconcerningtheincident.ProvidingdetailedinformationattheonsetisimportantinassistingtheBoard
tounderstandriskofharmandinfacilitatingtheinvestigativeprocess.
6.WhathappenswhenthecaseispresentedtotheBoard?
Theboardmeetingisanopenpublicmeetingwhereinvestigativereportsrelatedtocomplaintsthathavebeenreceived
andinvestigatedbystaffarereviewedbytheBoardmemberstodetermine,baseduponevidenceinacase,whether
thereisprobableevidenceofaviolationoftheNursePracticeAct.Boardmemberswilldeliberateandmakeamotion,
statingwhatactionshouldoccur.
7.WhocanaddresstheBoardmembers?
Ifyouhavesubmittedacomplaint(“Complainant”)oryouhavehadacomplaintsubmittedagainstyourapplicationor
yourlicense/certificate(“Respondent”),youarewelcometoattendtheboardmeetingtohearthediscussionandBoard
decision.Theboardmeetingisnotahearingbutyoumaychoosetogiveaverbalpresentation(upto5minutes),
providinginformationyoufeelispertinentfortheBoardtoconsider.Youmayalsochoosetojustbeavailableto
respondtotheirquestions,oryoumaybepresentandnotspeakatall.Informationthatisrelevanttothecomplaint
andinvestigationshouldhavebeenprovidedtotheassignedinvestigatorinadvanceoftheboardmeeting.
8.WhatarethepossibleBoardmembersdecisionsoractions?
Boardactionsarecategorizedas:Dismissal,Non‐disciplinaryAction,DisciplinaryAction,andAdministrative
Violations.OncethecasehasbeenreviewedbytheBoardandtheBoardvotesfordiscipline,thelicensee/certificate
holder/applicantstatusisupdatedtoreflect"complaint‐outcomepending"oriffinal,thedisciplinaryactiontaken.
Dismissal Dismissal–EvidencedoesnotsupporttherehasbeenaviolationoftheNursePracticeAct.
Non‐Disciplinary LetterofConcern–AletterfromtheBoardexpressingconcernthatalicensee,certificateholderor
applicantmayhavebeenengageinquestionableconductthatisconsideredlowriskorharmtothe
public.AletterofconcernissuedbytheBoardisnon‐disciplineandisnotanappealableagency
action
DisciplinaryActions CivilPenalty–AmonetaryfineissuedbytheBoard,nottoexceed$1,000,givensinglyorin
combinationwithanydisciplinaryactionforaviolationoftheNursePracticeAct.
DecreeofCensure–ThisisanofficialdisciplinebytheBoardthattheindividual’sconductviolated
theNursePracticeActbutdoesnotrepresentacontinuedrisktothepatient/public.
Probation–Thisactionallowsthenursetocontinueworkingduringtheperiodofprobation
subjecttocompliancewiththetermsandconditions.Duringtheperiodofprobationthenurse
mustbesupervisedintheirpracticeandcompletecertainrequirementswhichareaimedat
rehabilitationoreducatingandremediatingthenurseinhis/herarea(s)ofpracticedeficit.For
example,anursewithasubstanceabuseissuemayberequiredtoenterandcompletetreatment,
attendAA/NAmeetings,abstainfromalcoholandotherdrugusealongwithother
requirements.Anursewholackssufficientknowledgeofmedicationsorsafeadministrationmay