Is a Letter of Concern from the Arizona Board of Nursing Public?
So, Is a Letter of Concern from the Arizona Board of Nursing Public?
Yes and No. A letter of concern is not considered formal discipline and is not reported to NURSYS (the national database verifying nurse licensure). So, a letter of concern would never show up if an employer were to verify your license on NURSYS.
Links of Interest:
- Is a Decree of Censure from The Arizona Nursing Board Public?
- Can a Nurse Continue to Work if Suspended by the Arizona Nursing Board?
What is a Letter of Concern?
The Arizona Board of Nursing sends a letter of concern to the nurse when that nurse’s conduct is not ideal. However, the behavior does not necessarily violate the Nurse Practice Act.
Remember, a letter of concern is subject to Arizona Public Records Law. If someone were to request a nurse’s disciplinary or non-disciplinary history specifically, the Board would be required to provide it. However, that scenario would be extremely rare and should not cause concern for the nurse.
What is NURSYS?
NURSYS is the only national database verifying nurse licensure, discipline, and practice privileges for RNs and LPN/VNs licensed in participating boards of nursing, including all states in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Under current laws, one cannot remove past discipline from NURSYS.
In 2018, the Board moved license verification from the Board’s website to NURSYS. Previous Board policy removed all disciplinary actions from a nurse’s record after five years.
National Practitioner Database (NPDB) Discipline
So, When is Discipline from the Arizona Nursing Board Removed From the NPDB? Formal discipline from the Arizona Board of Nursing never gets removed from the National Practitioner Database or National Practitioner Data Bank (“NPDB”).
The NPDB is a web-based repository of reports containing information on medical malpractice payments and specific adverse actions related to healthcare practitioners, providers, and suppliers.
Many employers will run an NPDB report before hiring a nurse.
Disciplinary Actions Imposed by the Arizona Board of Nursing
- Revocation
- Suspension
- Voluntary Surrender
- Probation (Consent Agreement)
- Civil Penalty
- Decree of Censure
Arizona Nurses Complaint
Any discipline a nurse receives from the Arizona Board of Nursing depends upon the violation. There’s a whole range of disciplines that can occur. Not only can a license be revoked, but there can also be a denial of certification or licensure. There can also be civil penalties. Sometimes the Board requires a voluntary surrender of the license or a probation period.
Published Discipline Report (RN, LPN, LNA, NP)
The Arizona Board of Nursing publishes a report detailing Arizona Nursing Regulatory Journal Disciplinary Action of all disciplinary action regarding licensed nursing assistants (LNA), registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurses (LPN), and Nurse Practitioners in the Arizona State Board of Nursing Quarterly Regulatory Journal (Journal).
The report lists currently licensed, or certified nurses and any applicants or re-applicants denied certification or licensure.
The Arizona Board of Nursing publishes a report every time a disciplinary action takes place. It happens with any RN, LPNs, and CNAs, including applicants, denied their certification or licensure.
This report goes into the Arizona State Board of Nursing Quarterly Journal.
The report lists in detail the following:
- Date of disciplinary action
- Nurse’s name
- Certificate number
- Discipline taken
- Nature of the violation
It is of concern to any nursing professional to have this detailed listing anyone can see.
Protect Your Nursing Career After a Letter of Concern
For direct legal help, contact us today or see our Nursing License Defense Attorney page.