HJBR Jul/Aug 2021

36 JUL / AUG 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE COLUMN NURSING The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), like most organizations through- out the country, has spent the last 15 months achieving its work through a re- mote, telework environment. We have managed to be both effective and efficient in accomplishing the agency’s mission “to safeguard the life and health of the citizens of Louisiana by assuring persons prac- ticing as registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses are competent and safe.” That said, I would like to spend this month’s column updating our readers on the work that has been accomplished through May 2021. One of our major responsibilities at LSBN is compliance by licensees with the Nurse Practice Act (NPA) (RS 37:911 et seq.) and the Rules and Regulations (LAC 46. Part XLVII.Subpart 2. Registered Nurs- es). The Compliance Division is headed by Chief Compliance Officer Wanda Mat- thews and is responsible for monitoring and evaluating complaints against licens- ees, conducting disciplinary investigations Health, and was granted an Opioid to Ac- tion Grant for approximately $25,000 to increase awareness of the Recover¬ing Nurse Program (RNP). The collaboration will include a media campaign, posters and/or pamphlets that will be mailed to all medical facilities, schools of nursing, etc., and a video that will address the opioid cri- sis in the nursing industry, how the crisis affects employers and a quick overview of the RNP. The Legal Division is headed by General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer Carrie Jones. The division continues to push through the pandemic, processing disciplinary cases and conducting hearings. Many of the tasks of the LSBN Legal Division were performed remotely at the height of the pandemic; however, disciplinary hearings have been held in person at the LSBN of- fice. Board members, board staff and most witnesses are on-site, and the board room is set up to implement social distancing guidelines. The LSBN can accommodate virtual testimony if requested in advance for allegations of violations of the NPA or our Rules and Regulations. The division also monitors licensees under discipline with the board and administers the Re- covering Nurse Program for nurses with substance use or medical, mental or phys- ical disorders. During the first quarter of 2021, the Compliance Division received 294 complaints. Of the 294 complaints received, 103 new investigations were opened. Department staff closed 180 in- vestigations, and as of the end of the quar- ter, the department has 775 open investiga- tions. Investigations are assigned priorities on a scale of one through four. Priority One investigations pose an imminent and sub- stantial danger to the public health, safety and welfare of citizens whereas Priority 4 investigations pose a low risk for harm. As of March 31, 2021, only 35 Priority One in- vestigations remained open. RNP/Monitoring Director Urhonda Beckwith collaborated with the Bureau of Community Preparedness, Louisiana Department of Health/Office of Public Update on LSBN Activities