Under the Ohio Nurse Practice Act, R.C. 4723, the Ohio Board of Nursing can take an action against a nurse for criminal convictions, even if they are NOT related to the practice of nursing.

R.C. 4723.28 (B)(3) allows the Nursing Board to take an action against a nurse who has been convicted of a misdemeanor in the course of practice. This seems obvious. However, under R.C. 4723.28(B)(4) the Nursing Board may take a disciplinary action against a nurse who has been convicted of any felony or a “crime involving gross immorality or moral turpitude.” So even crimes that are not related to the practice of nursing can result in a sanction on your nursing license.

Crimes involving gross immorality or moral turpitude are generally defined as crimes of violence or that “shock the conscience.” Crimes such as for assault or child neglect, easily come to mind as crimes that would involve “gross immorality”. However, crimes involving financial dealings (passing bad checks, bank fraud, tax evasion) have also been found to meet this standard.

The Nursing Board also has the authority to take a disciplinary action against a nurse if they do not have a conviction, but are otherwise permitted to enter into a pre-trial diversion program or are found judicially eligible for a treatment in lieu of conviction program. So, even when they don’t have a formal conviction, the Nursing Board is still authorized to take a disciplinary action against the nurse.

The Nursing Board meets six times per year at monthly meetings where it decides, after an investigation, if a disciplinary action should be taken against a nurse. The Nursing Board met last week and sent letters to over eighty (80) Ohio licensed nurses proposing to take a disciplinary action against them. For many of these nurses, the Board is proposing to discipline them for criminal convictions.

If the Board chooses to discipline a nurse, the nurse will be sent a Notice and given a right to a hearing. It is important that the nurse respond to this Notice in a timely fashion to request a hearing. The Board handles each case on an individual basis and the sanction it chooses to impose on a nurse is often dependent on the information the Nursing Board learns from the nurse or their legal counsel.

As always, if you have any questions about the Ohio Board of Nursing or this post, please feel free to call one of the attorneys at Collis, Smiles and Collis at 614-486-3909 or check out our website at http://www.collislaw.com.