The purpose of the program is to provide an alternative to the Board’s disciplinary process for license and certificate holders who are impaired due to drug or alcohol dependency, or mental illness.The program committee monitor the recovery and practice of the participant to assure practice within acceptable standards of nursing and the safety of the public is not impeded by the impairment of the nurse, nursing assistant, medication technician or electrologist. Participation in the program is voluntary and confidential.
Impaired nurses and certificate holders may be referred to the program through self-reports, formal complaints and/or the Board of Nursing identification. Participants requesting admission to the program may not have caused patient injury or have been arrested and/or convicted for diversion of controlled substances for sale or distribution. Program participation agreements are implemented, up to five years, beginning with stringent restrictions on practice and employment, gradually evolving to the full restoration of practice.
The conditions and terms of the agreement include requirements of continued rehabilitation and treatment with submission of progress reports, weekly participation in support groups, random toxicology screens, employer reports and self reports. Additionally, the agreement may limit where the participant can work, hours of work, and administration of controlled substances.
Failure to comply and unsuccessful completion of the conditions in the participation agreement may result in a report to the Board for disciplinary action. Participation in this program is confidential. All gathered information and records are purged/destroyed two years following the participant’s discharge from the program.
