COURSE:

NR532: Healthcare Operational Planning and Management

Collaboration Café

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.

1. Discuss the legal and ethical ramifications of this issue.
2. How will you approach this employee, and what actions will you take?
3. What guidelines for this situation exist with your state’s nursing board?

Maintaining an active license to function as a nurse is a personal responsibility. However, a nurse receives several reminders from various venues. 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

SOLUTION

Discuss the legal and ethical ramifications of this issue: 

Practicing at the advanced practice nurse level with an expired license is illegal. In addition, the advanced practice nurse may have their license suspended or revoked by the board of nursing, and fines will be imposed. In most states, the advanced practice nurse’s license and prescriptive authority hold the same expiration date. Therefore, the pharmacy should automatically alert the nurse and the organization if the prescriptive authority has lapsed. Ethically, nurses are responsible to their profession and patients to present themselves with integrity and good moral character ( Monroe, 2019)…………………………….$5