Tag Archives: covid-19

Extension to Renew Ohio LPN licenses

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Ohio LPN licenses expire on November 1, 2020.  However, the Ohio Coronavirus Omnibus Act, H.B. 197, effective March 27, 2020, authorizes extending Ohio LPN licenses that expire during the declared emergency.

Ohio LPN licenses will remain valid until the earlier of either 90-days after the date the emergency ends or December 1, 2020, unless revoked, suspended, or otherwise subject to discipline or limitations.

The Ohio LPN license renewal window is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2020 and the Ohio Board of Nursing encourages Ohio LPNs to renew their licenses between July 1 and October 31, 2020.  However, if the declared emergency continues, Ohio LPN licenses that are not renewed will not expire/lapse until the expiration date established in accordance with HB 197.

If the period to renew Ohio LPN licenses is extended, the Ohio Board of Nursing will notify LPNs through the website, social media, and email. To receive information from the Ohio Board of Nursing, it is strongly recommended that you ensure that the Ohio Board of Nursing has your most up to date contact information, including your email address.

Renewal is to be completed online using the Ohio eLicense system, a comprehensive professional regulatory license system used by a variety of state licensing boards, the same system used during the last renewal period.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted by the online system.

Additional Documents May Be Required:

If you respond Yes to any of the questions on the renewal application, you may be asked to provide documentation of citizenship, court documents or other information that may be required as part of your renewal application  Be prepared to upload the documents electronically through the online system. The Ohio Board of Nursing will not accept hard copies of supporting documentation.

For information about the LPN renewal process, see:
LPN Renewal 2020 and Ohio Board of Nursing

If you have any questions on how to respond to questions on the renewal application, need to disclose a conviction or other conduct on your application or need assistance to complete the renewal application, you should consider hiring experienced counsel to assist. As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the Ohio Board of Nursing in general, please feel free to contact Beth Collis or Todd Collis.

NCSBN Offering Free Online COVID-19 Courses for Health Care Professionals

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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is an organization through which state boards of nursing work together on matters of common interest and concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare.

NCSBN is offering free online COVID-19 courses for health care professionals. The courses provide new, established and returning nurses with training and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurses and other health care workers are invited to self-enroll through the ICRS Connections Catalog. Enrollment questions should be directed to icrs@ncsbn.org.

For more information, visit their website.

If you have any questions about this post, contact Beth Collis or Todd Collis.

Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board Issues Emergency Rule 4757-5-13 Regarding Teletherapy

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On April 6, 2020, the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (“CSWMFT Board”) filed emergency rule 4757-5-13. The rule will remain in effect until August 4, 2020. In its announcement, the CSWMFT indicated that the emergency amendments to the rule expand access to teletherapy services for clients by:

  • clarifying that no training is required prior to providing teletherapy, however, the rule requires that licensees provide services only if they can competently provide such services
  • waives the requirement to hold a face to face meeting in-person or via video prior to rendering services;
  • allows for verbal consent when written consent cannot be obtained; and
  • follows federal guidance regarding HIPAA compliant technology.

In its announcement, the CSWMFT Board also indicated that licensees should consider the following questions if they are going to provide teletherapy:

  1. Do I have the skills and competencies necessary to provide teletherapy? If the answer is no, what do I need to do to develop those skills?
  2. Do I have the right recordkeeping practices in place?
  3. Does my liability insurance allow me to provide teletherapy?
  4. Is my employer supportive of my doing teletherapy?
  5. Are insurers whom I will be billing allowing for teletherapy?
  6. If you are planning to continue to provide services to existing clients, who among your clients might benefit from teletherapy? Who might face challenges?
  7. If you are working with new clients via teletherapy, are you prepared to assess the appropriateness of video or phone therapy with the clients?
  8. How do you ensure equitable opportunities for all clients? Are you prepared to refer out any clients whom you cannot serve because of insurance issues, the presenting problem, or client issues with being served via video or phone?
  9. Do the presenting problems you often treat translate well over teletherapy?

For the full CSWMFT Board Statement, go here.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the Ohio Board of Nursing in general, feel free to contact Beth Collis or Todd Collis.

Ohio Nurses: How to comply with a Nursing Board Order or Consent Agreement during the COVID-19 Stay at Home Order

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Many nurses who are currently being monitored by the Ohio Board of Nursing, under the terms of a Consent Agreement or a Board Order, have asked how they can comply with the terms of these Orders, while under the State of Ohio Stay at Home Order in effect until May 1, 2020.

In general, each nurse needs to continue to comply with all terms and conditions of your Board Order or Consent Agreement. If you unable to comply in any way, contact your monitor immediately. While the Nursing Board staff is currently working remotely, the staff has access to emails and they are continuing to respond to questions and requests.

Random Drug testing:

Nurses who have stopped daily call ins to First Source, based upon the Ohio Department of Health Stay at Home Order, need to begin daily calls effective Monday, April 20, 2020.

Random Drug Testing will be scheduled after May 4, 2020. Testing will include hair and blood specimens in addition to urine specimens. These highly sensitive tests will be able to detect if you ingested alcohol, medications or illegal substances in the days or weeks before the test. So, just because you are not submitting to random drug testing does not mean that you can consume alcohol (if prohibited by your Board Agreement or Order) or that you may use medications not prescribed to you or illegal substances.

Any requirement that is not met, such as a missed screen or support group meeting attendance, or a positive screen based on the use of hand sanitizer will be evaluated considering the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Attendance at AA meetings:

You may now “attend” AA meetings online.If you participate in an on-line support group meeting or discussion, please document this on Form #4 and include dates and type of meeting attendance. A co-signor is not necessary.

Here are links for on-line meetings:
(AA)
(CA)
(NA)

If you participate in an on-line meeting or discussion, please document this on form #4 and include the date of the meeting and the type of meeting attended. A co-signor is not necessary. Again, contact your monitor if you choose to “attend” an AA meeting online.

Request to modify the terms of your Consent Agreement:

The Nursing Board has also received multiple requests to remove Board monitoring and restrictions or to modify Board Orders. Board actions will not be held in abeyance or suspended. Board Orders are final and there is no provision to modify a Board Order. The Board will not alter permanent restrictions in Consent Agreements or Orders.

Ohio Department of Health has established an outline for essential healthcare workers, which can be found here.

More info about Covid-19 and Ohio can be found here.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the Ohio Board of Nursing in general, feel free to contact Beth Collis or Todd Collis.

Ohio Board of Pharmacy Takes Additional COVID-19 Response Efforts

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On March 24, 2020, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (“OBP”) took additional COVID-19 response efforts to protect the health and safety of Ohioans during the COVID-19 outbreak. These efforts include, but are not limited to:

  • Authorized expedited licensure of drug distributors; and
  • Authorized sale and shipment of non-reportable dangerous drugs that are in shortage by unlicensed, out-of-state facilities.

The OBP also reminded its licensees that pharmacies and terminal distributors of dangerous drugs are not required to submit a notification to the OBP for any temporary closures or reduction in operating hours. If modifying operating hours, a pharmacy must update signage to reflect the change in store hours.

Read more HERE and HERE.

As a reminder, the OBP also implemented required infection control procedures effective March 19, 2020.

Read more HERE.

If you are seeking guidance concerning obtaining expedited licensure as a drug distributor or have questions concerning OBP requirements during COVID-19, contact Todd Collis.

 

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Implements Infection Control Procedures in Face of Corona Virus

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Updated 3/19/2020

The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued new requirements to implement safeguards to allow pharmacy professionals employed by a terminal distributor to practice pharmacy in a safe and effective manner.

The Ohio Pharmacy Board issued the following (emphasis added):

Section 4729.55 of the Revised Code requires a pharmacy to implement adequate safeguards that allow pharmacy professionals employed by a terminal distributor to practice pharmacy in a safe and effective manner. This includes implementing safeguards to protect pharmacy professionals (pharmacists, interns, technician, and support personnel) and patients during a public health emergency.

To comply with the requirements of section 4729.55 of Revised Code, the Board has determined the following steps shall be implemented by all pharmacies located in Ohio starting no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2020 to ensure the practice of pharmacy can be conducted in a safe and effective manner:

  • For pharmacies open to the public, consider developing a process for older adults (60+), pregnant women, and individuals with chronic health conditions to pick up medications without waiting in line (i.e. post signs directing to drive-thru, offer curb-side delivery, mail delivery, senior hours, etc.).
  • Implement infection control procedures, especially for waiting areas, to include the following:
  • Pharmacies with workspaces that currently allow patients to get closer than the minimum recommended distance of 3 feet should post signage or utilize other methods to ensure patients who are waiting are maintained at a safe distance. NOTE: This does not apply to patients who must interact with pharmacy staff (i.e. for purposes of payment, immunizations, etc.) or pharmacies that are not open to the public.
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy interns shall no longer be permitted to administer immunizations or other injections without standard protective measures, which includes gloves and proper hand hygiene (i.e. routinely washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds). Standard protective measures do not include the use of masks or gowns.
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy interns shall not administer any immunizations or other injections to patients displaying or reporting symptoms of respiratory illness, including any of the following:
    • Fever (NOTE: This does not require mandatory temperature checks);
    • Cough; or
    • Shortness of breath.
  • Pharmacy professionals who are older adults, pregnant women, or individuals with chronic health conditions shall not be prohibited from wearing appropriate PPE to operate within a pharmacy.
  • Regularly clean and disinfect counters, credit/debit card devices, waiting areas, and other spaces where public interaction occurs with an EPA-approved disinfectant. Clean at least every hour or after every 10 patients, whichever is more frequent. If cleaning and disinfecting products are in short supply, the Ohio Department of Health has developed the following guidance. Read here.
  • If available, place alcohol-based hand sanitizer next to the checkout window so people can sanitize their hands after using common items, like the pen used to sign for prescriptions or devices used to process credit/debit card transactions. REMINDER: Manual signatures from patients are not required by Board of Pharmacy rule (see Important COVID-19 Reminders section of this guidance document for more information).
  • Provide regular breaks for staff to engage in proper hand hygiene (i.e. routinely washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds).
  • Monitor pharmacy staff for symptoms of respiratory illness, including any of the following:
    • Fever (NOTE: This does not require mandatory temperature checks. However, the Ohio Department of Health recommends pharmacies take staff temperatures once per shift);
    • Cough; or
    • Shortness of breath.

Staff exhibiting or reporting any of these symptoms must be sent home.

Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in this document may result in administrative discipline for the pharmacy and the pharmacy’s responsible person.

As always, if you have any questions concerning this post, contact Todd Collis or Beth Collis.