NR 532 Week 5 Collaboration Cafe; Where s Your License

$15.00

Contributor

Matthew Hayden

Category

Nursing

Course

NR 532 Healthcare Operational Planning & Management

Institute

Chamberlain

Pages

54

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NR 532 Week 5: Collaboration Cafe: Where’s Your License? All licensed personnel were notified 60 days in advance that they must provide a copy of their most recent license. An email was sent from your office reminding them of the deadline. Human resources posted reminders on the announcement boards in all the units. The deadline has passed, and upon review, one of the two nurse practitioners working in the emergency room has not submitted a current license. You are also unable to verify it online. The one on file expired six (6) months ago. Discuss the legal and ethical ramifications of this issue. How will you approach this employee and what actions will you take? What guidelines for this situation exist with your state’s nursing board? Dr.Scroggs and Classmates , • Maintaining and providing evidence of a current license to practice is the responsibility of the license professional. While employers are required to independently verify active licensure of all licensed healthcare providers including nurses the nurse should take renewal of licensure and proof seriously. In the state of GA an employer may be fined $500 per day up to $10,000.00 for every day that the employer should have been aware that an individual is practicing in their facility without a professional license in good standing (State of Georgia, 2022). So, while the employer in this case was requiring the nurse to produce a valid license it is also their responsibility to verify and track such licensure expiration dates usually through an HR process. There are financial and potential legal ramifications to allowing staff to practice without a valid license. Other than fines that can be imposed by the state there are potential liabilities if a patient is harmed, and it is found that the individuals caring for the patient were not in good standing with the board of nursing. In the state of Georgia nurses may not practice after the date of expiration of their license and practicing without a license is considered a misdemeanor. The board does allow for late renewal with in 30 days of expiration, but the nurse may not practice during this time frame. Failure to renew a license with in the 30-day penalty deadline is considered revoked and is eligible for any disciplinary action the the board deems appropriate at the time of application for reinstatement under code 43-1-19 or 43-26-11 (Georgia Board of Nursing, 2019). After the 30-day late renewal grace period the nurse must complete a much more comprehensive reinstatement process. Licensure by Reinstatement rule 410-4-.01 states that a nurse previously licensed in the state of GA may apply for reinstatement. The steps include a complete application for reinstatement with attestation, application fee, completed background check, documentation of five hundred hours of licensed practice and employment verification with in two years preceding the date of application, proof of completion of one of the five competency requirements, proof of citizenship, and any additional information requested by the board. The five competency requirements include completion of 30 continuing education hours by a board approved provider, proof of certification by a national board approved certifying body, completion of an accredited academic program, verification of competency by a health care facility with at least 500 hours practiced. The board may require the nurse to pass an examination or other competency assessment and may impose any remedial requirements it deems necessary. The board as the right to deny reinstatement and this is not recognized as a contested case under chapter 13 of title 50 (Georgia Board of Nursing, 2019). In this case there is unauthorized practice of an advance practice nurse, and the following rule applies 410-11-.09. This rule states that if an applicant is engaged or employed as an advance practice nurse, they are in violation of 410-11-.01(4) and subject to reprimand by the board of nursing in Georgia which can include a public or private reprimand, and a fine of $50 per month up to $250 for practicing between two and six months with an expired license (State of Georgia , 2022). In this specific case there are a few steps to take with the APRN who has not submitted a current license, and who’s licensure cannot be verified online. The first of which is to notify that individual in person that they may not practice until their license is verified as active, and there is proof of eligibility to practice as a nurse in any capacity. I would ask that individual to report to HR immediately for further investigation of their expired license. This individual if found to not have an active license will either need to be placed on leave according to the facilities policy or place in a position not requiring a license within the organization if that is a viable option to maintain employment but will be dependent on the organizations policy. Following the organizations policy related to expired licensure will be important and may require that the facility report to the board of nursing. As an employer the nurse may be required to show proof of the reinstatement process and provide proof of practice. I would also ask that the individual license be verified online with the state board of nursing including any potential disciplinary items which may hold up renewal of a license, and further complicate the employment of this APRN. Finally, as a nursing leader would want to meet with HR leadership to understand why as a health care organization licensure is not being tracked by expiration date, and quarterly for disciplinary action outside of depending on individuals to produce proof of licensure. • April • Georgia Board of Nursing (2019).Nurse Practice Act. https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/38%20Reference%20-%20Nurse%20Practice%20Act.pdf Links to an external site.. Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia (2022). https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/111-8- 12Links to an external site.• ReplyReply to Commento Collapse SubdiscussionStacy PeeStacy PeeNov 21, 2022Nov 21 at 2:07pm Manage Discussion EntryGood afternoon April and Class, There are a number of potential concerns that might develop if a person keeps working after their license has lapsed. In many areas, it is a crime to practice nursing without holding a valid license. As an executive, one of the most important responsibilities is to make sure that staff are aware of the responsibilities that come with failing to keep their licenses current. Being a leader requires taking on the duty of ensuring that staff have access to the resources they need to keep their licenses current. If a nurse lets their nursing license lapse without renewing it, they will lose their ability to lawfully work in the nursing profession. While this puts a burden on staff, it is also unethical to provide medical care without the proper credentials; therefore, placing a burden on their patients. A leader's ability to maintain composure under pressure is a key competency in such tense situations, as practicing with an expired license may cause several problems for the nurse, patients, and facility. -Stacy ReplyReply to Commento Collapse SubdiscussionMary WolvenMary WolvenNov 23, 2022Nov 23 at 7:43am Manage Discussion EntryApril, I was initially drawn to your post because I noticed that we both reside in Georgia! You provided a lot of great information that I did not find in my research. Specifically, I did not see the fee portion while looking through the policies. In my opinion I feel like this fee is not enough money, would you agree or disagree? Another issue I had specifically with this scenario was the fact that the organization had sent this particular employee multiple reminders. I think in this situation a formal review on why this particular scenario was allowed to happen for 6 months would be appropriate (ie. where were the break downs in communication? Who was ultimately responsible for verifying employment? etc.) Knowing where the breakdowns occurred will be helpful to prevent this issue from happening again in the future. I did not mention in my post HR in any capacity, and I think how you chose to handle the situation was great. For me, my growth as a leader is going to involve a lot of

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