Board of Registered Nursing Probation Conditions
Standard Probation Conditions
1. Obey all Laws
Respondent shall obey all federal, state and local laws. A full and detailed account of any and all violations of law shall be reported by the respondent to the Board in writing within seventy-two (72) hours of occurrence. To permit monitoring of compliance with this condition, respondent shall submit completed fingerprint forms and fingerprint fees within 45 days of the effective date of the decision, unless previously submitted as part of the licensure application process.CRIMINAL COURT ORDERS: If respondent is under criminal court orders, including probation or parole, and the order is violated, this shall be deemed a violation of these probation conditions, and may result in the filing of an accusation and/or petition to revoke probation.
RATIONALE: All licensees are responsible for "abiding by the law" and complying with court orders, should the licensee be subject to court ordered parole or probation. This condition emphasizes the respondent's responsibility and it provides the Board with a means to take more immediate and severe action if another violation occurs.
2. Comply With Board's Probation Program
Respondent shall fully comply with the conditions of the Probation Program established by the Board and cooperate with representatives of the Board in its monitoring and investigation of the respondent's compliance with the Board's Probation Program. Respondent shall inform the Board in writing within no more than 15 days of any address change and shall at all times maintain an active, current license status with the Board, including during any period of suspension. Upon successful completion of probation, respondent's license shall be fully restored.
RATIONALE: Full compliance with conditions of probation demonstrates the respondent's
commitment to
rehabilitation and to correcting the problems which led to the disciplinary action.
3. Report in Person
Respondent, during the period of probation, shall appear in person at interviews/
meetings as directed by the Board or its designated representatives.
RATIONALE: This provides a means for the Board representatives to make periodic
personal assessments of the respondent, to give guidance and direction
and to require the respondent to appear before the Board, if necessary.
4. Residency Practice or Licensure Outside of State
Periods of residency or practice as a registered nurse outside of California
shall not apply toward a reduction of this probation time period. Respondent's
probation is tolled, if and when he or she resides outside of California.
The respondent must provide written notice to the Board within 15 days
of any change of residency or practice outside the state, and within 30
days prior to re-establishing residency or returning to practice in this
state. Respondent shall provide a list of all states and territories where
he or she has ever been licensed as a registered nurse, vocational nurse,
or practical nurse. Respondent shall further provide information regarding
the status of each license and any changes in such license status during
the term of probation. Respondent shall inform the Board if he/she applies
for or obtains a new nursing license during the term of probation.
RATIONALE: This ensures that respondents may not complete probation without being
fully monitored for their term in California. This further assures that
the Board is aware of all licensure outside of California as a professional nurse.
5. Submit Written Reports
Respondent, during the period of probation, shall submit or cause to be
submitted such written reports/declarations and verification of actions
under penalty of perjury, as required by the Board. These reports/declarations
shall contain statements relative to respondent's compliance with all
the conditions of the Board's Probation Program. Respondent shall immediately
execute all release of information forms as may be required by the Board
or its representatives. Respondent shall provide a copy of this decision
to the nursing regulatory agency in every state and territory in which
he or she has a registered nurse license.
RATIONALE: This provides the Board with a mechanism for maintaining communication
with the respondent
between meetings; gathering pertinent information from the respondent;
and obtaining written materials, other than routine reports, that might
be deemed necessary on an individual basis. This also allows coordination
with other state agencies to discipline registered nurses.
6. Function as a Registered Nurse
Respondent, during the period of probation, shall engage in the practice
of registered nursing in California for a minimum of 24 hours per week
for 6 consecutive months or as determined by the Board. For purposes of
compliance with the section, "engage in the practice of registered
nursing" may include, when approved by the Board, volunteer work
as a registered nurse, or work in any nondirect patient care position
that requires licensure as a registered nurse.
The Board may require that advanced practice nurses engage in advanced
practice nursing for a minimum of 24 hours per week for 6 consecutive
months or as determined by the Board. If respondent has not complied with
this condition during the probationary term, and the respondent has presented
sufficient documentation of his or her good faith efforts to comply with
this condition, and if no other conditions have been violated, the Board,
in its discretion, may grant an extension of the respondent's probation
period up to one year without further hearing in order to comply with
this condition. During the one year extension, all original conditions
of probation shall apply.
RATIONALE: This provides the Board with an opportunity to monitor the respondent
and determine if he/she can perform the functions and duties of a registered
nurse in a competent manner. It also prevents the respondent from merely
"sitting out" the probation and avoiding the necessity of demonstrating
competence and complying with nursing practice related probation conditions.
7. Employment Approval and Reporting Requirements
Respondent shall obtain prior approval from the Board before commencing
or continuing any employment, paid or voluntary, as a registered nurse.
Respondent shall cause to be submitted to the Board all performance evaluations
and other employment related reports as a registered nurse upon request
of the Board. Respondent shall provide a copy of this decision to his
or her employer and immediate supervisors prior to commencement of any
nursing or other health care related employment. In addition to the above,
respondent shall notify the Board in writing within seventy-two (72) hours
after he or she obtains any nursing or other health care related employment.
Respondent shall notify the Board in writing within seventy-two (72) hours
after he or she is terminated or separated, regardless of cause, from
any nursing, or other health care related employment with a full explanation
of the circumstances surrounding the termination or separation.
RATIONALE: This condition allows the Board to determine the appropriateness of a
setting for which the respondent will be providing registered nursing
services and to obtain reports relative to the respondent's registered
nursing competency. This condition additionally allows the Board to be
informed of any employment, termination, or separation of the respondent
from a nursing or other health care related position, e.g., as a licensed
vocational nurse, respiratory therapist, certified nursing assistant or
home health aide. It includes reporting of employment in health care related
services not regulated by the state, e.g., surgical technician or cardiac
catheterization technician. The condition also provides the Board with
a mechanism for ensuring that the employer providing nursing or other
health care-related services is informed of the license status of the
respondent so that, if necessary, the work environment can be structured
to ensure consumer safety.
8. Supervision
Respondent shall obtain prior approval from the Board regarding respondent's
level of supervision and/or collaboration before commencing or continuing
any employment as a registered nurse, or education and training that includes
patient care. Respondent shall practice only under the direct supervision
of a registered nurse in good standing (no current discipline) with the
Board of Registered Nursing, unless alternative methods of supervision
and/or collaboration (e.g., with an advanced practice nurse or physician)
are approved. Respondent's level of supervision and/or collaboration may
include, but is not limited to the following:
(a) Maximum - The individual providing supervision and/or collaboration
is present in the patient care area or in any other work setting at all times.
(b) Moderate - The individual providing supervision and/or collaboration
is in the patient care unit or in any other work setting at least half
the hours respondent works.
(c) Minimum - The individual providing supervision and/or collaboration
has person-to-person communication with respondent at least twice during
each shift worked.
(d) Home Health Care - If respondent is approved to work in the home health
care setting, the individual providing supervision and/or collaboration
shall have person-to-person communication with respondent as required
by the Board each work day. Respondent shall maintain telephone or other
telecommunication contact with the individual providing supervision and/or
collaboration as required by the Board during each work day. The individual
providing supervision and/or collaboration shall conduct, as required
by the Board, periodic, on-site visits to patients' homes visited by the
respondent with or without respondent present.
RATIONALE: This allows the Board to require appropriate supervision and/or collaboration,
to monitor the
respondent's registered or advanced practice nursing competency and thus
protect consumer safety. The level of supervision or need for advanced
practice collaboration will be determined by the Board at probation meetings.
9. Employment Limitations
Respondent shall not work for a nurse's registry, in any private duty position
as a registered nurse, a temporary nurse placement agency, a traveling
nurse, or for an in-house nursing pool. Respondent shall not work for
a licensed home health agency as a visiting nurse unless the registered
nursing supervision and other protections for home visits have been approved
by the Board. Respondent shall not work in any other registered nursing
occupation where home visits are required.
Respondent shall not work in any health care setting as a supervisor of
registered nurses. The Board may additionally restrict respondent from
supervising licensed vocational nurses and/or unlicensed assistive personnel
on a case-by-case basis. Respondent shall not work as a faculty member
in an approved school of nursing or as an instructor in a Board approved
continuing education program. Respondent shall work only on a regularly
assigned, identified and predetermined worksite(s) and shall not work
in a float capacity. If the respondent is working or intends to work in
excess of 40 hours per week, the Board may request documentation to determine
whether there should be restrictions on the hours of work.
RATIONALE: The condition prevents the respondent from engaging in the practice of
registered nursing in
situations where there is no close supervision and/or where the respondent
could have undue authority over others and access to controlled substances.
If the respondent is working through a private duty or temporary placement
arrangement, there is no assurance that the contracting facility or contracting
family is aware of the nurse's probation. Home health agencies are licensed
by the state, and are staffed by registered nurse supervisors. On a case-by-case
basis, respondents may be permitted to provide home care under specified
conditions. RNs disciplined by the Board may not teach approved CE courses
pursuant to Section 1457(a)(1)(A), Title 16, California Code of Regulations.
10. Complete a Nursing Course(s)
Respondent, at his or her own expense, shall enroll and successfully complete
a course(s) relevant to the practice of registered nursing no later than
six months prior to the end of his or her probationary term. Respondent
shall obtain prior approval from the Board before enrolling in the course(s).
Respondent shall submit to the Board the original transcripts or certificates
of completion for the above required course(s). The Board shall return
the original documents to respondent after photocopying them for its records.
RATIONALE: This condition permits the Board to require the respondent to remediate
deficiencies in knowledge which affected or may affect his/her practice
of registered nursing. This is necessary in gross negligence or incompetence
as well as alcohol/drug abuse cases.
11. Cost Recovery (Does not apply to Applicants)
Respondent shall pay to the Board costs associated with its investigation
and enforcement pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 125.3
in the amount of $______. Respondent shall be permitted to pay these costs
in a payment plan approved by the Board, with payments to be completed
no later than three months prior to the end of the probation term.
If respondent has not complied with this condition during the probationary
term, and respondent has presented sufficient documentation of his or
her good faith efforts to comply with this condition, and if no other
conditions have been violated, the Board, in its discretion, may grant
an extension of the respondent's probation period up to one year without
further hearing in order to comply with this condition. During the one
year extension, all original conditions of probation will apply.
12. Violation of Probation
If a respondent violates the conditions of his/her probation, the Board
after giving the respondent notice and an opportunity to be heard, may
set aside the stay order and impose the stayed discipline (revocation/suspension)
of the respondent's license.
If during the period of probation, an accusation or petition to revoke
probation has been filed against respondent's license or the Attorney
General's Office has been requested to prepare an accusation or petition
to revoke probation against the respondent's license, the probationary
period shall automatically be extended and shall not expire until the
accusation or petition has been acted upon by the Board.
13. License Surrender
During respondent's term of probation, if he or she ceases practicing due
to retirement, health reasons or is otherwise unable to satisfy the conditions
of probation, respondent may surrender his or her license to the Board.
The Board reserves the right to evaluate respondent's request and to exercise
its discretion whether to grant the request, or to take any other action
deemed appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, without further
hearing. Upon formal acceptance of the tendered license and wall certificate,
respondent will no longer be subject to the conditions of probation.
Surrender of respondent's license shall be considered a disciplinary action
and shall become a part of respondent's license history with the Board.
A registered nurse whose license has been surrendered may petition the
Board for reinstatement no sooner than the following minimum periods from
the effective date of the disciplinary decision:
(1) Two years for reinstatement of a license that was surrendered for any
reason other than a mental or physical illness; or
(2) One year for a license surrendered for a mental or physical illness.
Optional Probation Conditions
Conditions 14-19 are usually required (in addition to the standard conditions
1-13) if the offense
involves alcohol/drug abuse. In cases of mental illness conditions 14,
18, and 19 are recommended.
Any of these optional conditions may be included if relevant to the violation.
14) Physical Examination
15) Participate in Treatment/Rehabilitation Program for Chemical Dependence
16) Abstain From Use of Psychotropic (Mood-Altering) Drugs
17) Submit to Tests and Samples
18) Mental Health Examination
19) Therapy or Counseling Program
20) Actual Suspension of License