GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS - Continued
If you answered yes to questions 1-5 of the Eligibility Questions on page 2, you must provide the Board with the
following information:
*QUESTION #1 The Board has determined that criminal behavior is highly relevant to an individual’s fitness to practice nursing.
Therefore, all criminal convictions or deferred orders, prosecution, or adjudication-a determination by a court that is withheld or delayed for
a specific time period, must be reported to the Board. This question includes offenses under the law of another state, federal law, or the
Uniform Code of Military Justice that contains elements of criminal conduct. SUBMIT a personal letter of explanation describing each
incident, the behavior that led up to the criminal order and your conduct since the order, and any rehabilitative efforts that have been
performed since the order. In addition, SUBMIT the following documentation for all felonies, all misdemeanors, and all military actions:
Certified copies of:
1. charges (indictment, information, or complaint);
2. disposition of charges (Judgment, Order of Probation, Sentence, and/or Deferred orders); and
3. evidence that the conditions of the court have been met.
(To obtain this documentation, contact the county clerk in the jurisdiction where the order was issued for misdemeanors; district court
clerk for felonies.)
You may answer “NO” to the question of prior convictions only if you: (a) received a pardon; or (b) were adjudicated as a minor without a
finding of “delinquent conduct”. If you were ever required to register as a sex offender, you must answer “YES”.
If you have questions regarding the outcome of any criminal matter, consult your attorney.
*QUESTION #2 The Nursing Practice Act provides that a person’s conduct in violation of the Nursing Practice Act or rules of the Board may
be considered as a factor in its deliberations regarding fitness to practice nursing. Therefore, if a licensee or applicant is the subject of a
grand jury or governmental agency investigation, the information regarding conduct or behavior giving rise to the investigation may be
relevant in determining a violation of the Nursing Practice Act or lead to the admissibility of relevant evidence of such violation. If you are
the subject of a grand jury or governmental agency investigation, please SUBMIT the name and address of the investigating entity and an
explanation as to the basis of the investigation.
QUESTION #3 The Board has determined that if any licensing authority has taken disciplinary action against a person for any reason,
then those actions are highly relevant to an individual’s current ability to practice nursing in the state of Texas. If any licensing authority
has refused to issue a license, revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a
license, certificate, or multi state privilege held by you or previously fined, censured, reprimanded or otherwise disciplined you, SUBMIT the
names and address of the licensing authority who has taken action and a letter explaining the background of the action. Additionally,
SUBMIT certified copies of:
1. formal charges or allegations supporting the licensure action;
2. final disposition of the licensing authority regarding those formal charges or allegations; and
3. evidence that the conditions of the licensing authority’s order or requirements have been met.
*QUESTION #4 The practice of nursing requires current fitness. The Board has identified certain disorders which, if occurring within the last
5 years, may indicate a lack of fitness. The disorders are: schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, paranoid
personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder. If you have been diagnosed, treated, or
hospitalized for any of the above illnesses within the last 5 years, which impaired or does impair your behavior, judgment, or ability to
function in school or work, submit the following information that will allow the Board to conduct an individualized assessment of your ability
to practice safely, competently, and without impairment to your professional judgment, skill, or knowledge.
1. A report, on letterhead, from your physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor, sent directly to this office, that includes: your
diagnosis; treatments rendered; including current medications; prognosis; cognitive, affective, and emotional stability and continuing
after-care recommendations, including reasonable accommodations needed to safely practice nursing, if any; and,
2. Verification of compliance with aftercare recommendations.
Please be advised that a physical/psychological evaluation may be requested as part of your individualized assessment. The evaluation
process is described in more detail at www.bon.texas.gov/disciplinaryaction/eval-guidelines.html.
The evaluation process could potentially delay consideration of your renewal. Therefore, the Board is providing advance notice of this
possibility so that applicants may contact the Board to schedule an evaluation at the beginning of the renewal process. By doing so, the
renewal should not be unduly delayed. An applicant is not required to contact the Board in advance of Board consideration of the renewal.
The applicant may choose to wait for a specific decision by the Board that a specific evaluation is necessary. This information is being
provided to put applicants on notice with respect to this potential requirement and afford the applicant the opportunity to expedite the
process if he/she so desires.
