Understanding reportable events for nurses can be challenging as each state can determine what violates the Nurse Practice Act. The most common reasons why nurses have their license suspended or revoked is for taking medicine or supplies, patient abuse or neglect, or breach of privacy. However, this does not encompass all the reasons why a nurse can be reported to the Board of Nursing. Most hospitals utilize a risk management department or officer to provide guidance as it can get complicated determining when and what to report to the Board.
As hospitals strive to eliminate “never events” and improve the quality of care for patients, supplemental employees should be treated the same as permanent staff. Some hospitals are hesitant to report a supplemental employee to the Board as they believe that is something the managed service provider (MSP) or nursing agency should do. However, in order for an event to be investigated access to the pertinent information is required. In every situation the hospital will have the details and supporting documentation to share with the Board so they can make a final determination.
Additionally, sharing the detail with your MSP or nursing agency allows the review board process clarity into the situation. Often, the detail provided will also allow the MSP or agency to do their due diligence and report the nurse to the Board as well.
Ultimately, nursing managers and other leaders should utilize their risk management departments to provide guidance on what should be reported to the Board of Nursing. The hospital should take the proper steps in their prospective state to report the nurse and provide the detail for the investigation, just as they would for a permanent employee.
Stacy Laue
Director of Clinical Services
Stacy brings over 20 years of healthcare experience to her role at FocusOne Solutions. With her clinical background as an ICU Nurse, along with her role as a leader in a large healthcare organization, she brings particular insight to the internal processes at FOS. Her primary focus is quality and she has implemented programs and new pathways to ensure the quality of the candidates that are placed by FocusOne. Stacy has a passion for patient care in the ever changing landscape of healthcare today. She has quickly become a resource for clients for best practices in managing their travel staff.