The court for Tennessee professional licensing is the Administrative Procedures Division. Professional boards must publish disciplinary license action each year by month per Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-1-114.
The information below represents a single month of 51 Tennessee Board of Nursing professional license actions in November 2018.
Professional nursing license action report
Projections based on a single month, while not statistically accurate, suggest a large number of annual nursing license disciplinary actions may result from controlled substance issues.
License action type by Tennessee nursing professional
Consequences range from moderate to severe, including permanent license revocation and significant fines:
- License revoked: LPN = 2, CNA = 5, RN = 11
- License suspended: LPN = 1, CNA = 0, RN = 14
- License probation: LPN = 0, CNA = 0, RN = 15
- License reprimanded: LPN = 0, CNA = 0, RN = 3
Causes of nursing board license actions
In certain areas, such as alleged chart falsification or chart illegibility, the Tennessee Board of Nursing presumes the nursing professional acted with intent. The number of license violations per category for November 2018 are listed below:
- 04 Theft or misappropriation
- 23 Drug abuse, including over-prescribing or illegal prescriptions
- 02 Patient chart falsification or patient chart data recorded illegibly
- 02 Drug addiction, including substance addiction or substance use on duty
- 19 Incompetence, negligence or unprofessional conduct
- 01 Renewal request denial
Right to protect licenses
Nursing professionals in Tennessee who are threatened with the loss of their licenses can take action to protect their licenses. For example, in the case of suspected theft or misappropriation, were there other professionals or employees present who had access to the alleged misappropriated items? Drug prescription errors, while serious events are not necessarily intentional. There may have been gross oversight defects in controlled substance dispensing and verification procedures on the part of a hospital or pain management clinic.
There can be latitude in interpretation of intention and evidential proof of alleged misbehavior to vigorously defend nursing professionals against the board's rulings. In cases of this type, a nursing professional's legal counsel may get a dismissal or reduction of charges by exposing weaknesses in the board's case. Nursing professionals have the right not to respond verbally or in writing to any nursing license board communication without their counsel present.
If you are threatened with the loss of your professional license, you must take prompt action. Speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
