BRN Committee Meeting
Hilton Garden Inn, Emeryville, CA
October 9th, 2014
DIVERSION / DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE
COMPLAINT INTAKE AND INVESTIGATION UPDATE
Intake: Interviewing office and investigation technicians (5 new positions)
Working on ageing cases: 51 cases over 1 year old
Statistics:
218 new assigned cases for August 2014
116 new unassigned cases
433 pending cases at Division of Investigation
DISCIPLINE / PROBATION UPDATE
New issue of FRAUD in ACLS and BLS certification; one facility brought 72 cases of
fraudulent certifications! It includes older experienced nurses and new graduates.
Questions were raised if the nurses were aware that the provider was fraudulent –
BRN response was they bought the certificate for $50, so they knew it was fraud.
DPH will be issuing heavy fines ($2,500 for fraudulent BLS and $5,000 for
fraudulent ACLS certification)
BRN is now posting ACCUSATION when they serve it to nurses, not as before when
they made a notation upon case closure.
ALERT on citation is on file for 3 years.
AG working together with BRN on older cases in en effort to close them.
444 decisions
241 pleading
43 surrender of licenses signed
BREEZE verifies accuracy, currently:
143 cases monitored at this time
260 cases on probation out of state
DIVERSION PROGRAM UPDATE
BRN became aware that false and incorrect information were being disseminated
among nurses regarding the Diversion Program, Enforcement and the Probation
Program. In order to fence off misinformation, BRN was invited to give
presentations at training sessions and major conferences.
Sept 19, 2014 (Southern CA, class) – Deputy Chief Beth Scott and the Diversion
Program Mngr. Carol Stanford presented information about the BRN’s enforcement
process and diversion program. Both answered several questions clarifying
misconception about the purpose of BRN Diversion Program.
Sept 24, 2014 – Diversion Liaison Committee Meeting held at Hilton Garden Inn,
Sacramento. Exec. Officer Louise Bailey, Deputy Chief Beth Scott, Program Mngr.
Carol Stanford and Director of Maximus Project Virginia Matthews (and case
managers and other staff) were in attendance. The attendance was 38 people.
Minutes are available at BRN upon request.
(This is an annual required meeting of the DLC Committee to maintain integrity and
continuity of the program).
Sept 25, 2014 – Nurse Facilitator’s Conference held at Hilton Garden Inn,
Sacramento. Probation Manager Sheila Granby and staff attended along with the
Nurse Support Groups throughout the State. 65 attendees. Issues were clarified,
misconception explained, training occurred. This is VITAL to maintain
communication between facilitators, Board staff and the contractor. Minutes also
available upon request at BRN.
CONTRACTOR UPDATE
Maximus, the current contractor of Diversion Program, was awarded a 5-yr contract
to continue providing its excellent services
DIVERSION EVALUATION COMMITTEE (DEC) OPENINGS UPDATE
Currently, there is 1 public member and 3 physician member vacancies at this time.
STATISTICS UPDATE
As of August 31st, 2014, there were 1,906 successful completions.
UNIFORM STANDARDS: SUBSTANCE-ABUSING HEALING ARTS LICENSEES
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Continuation of a comparative analysis of the Uniform Standards, Diversion
Program and Probation Program, including potential fiscal impact
Staff met with Legal Counsel and received recommendation from Dorothea
Johnson, Deputy Director, DCA Legal Affairs.
Legal Counsel advised to continue with the regulatory process
Attorney General’s Office has not rendered its opinion
Points #3 and #4 were discussed
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
I stated ANA\C position, reinforced our strong objection to 2-level of testing, citing
each nurse is an individual. I reiterated that drug and alcohol abuse is a disease and
as such, each nurse’s treatment needs are/ will be individual. ANA\C strongly
opposes rigid levels; ANA\C wants nurses to be successful and returned back to
their careers, healthy and productive.
BRN is in agreement and they appreciated our presence, voice and arguments.
BRN needs our support in this endeavor! They ask ANA\C to be present and state
our position at next month’s BRN meeting that will be recorded. BRN is asking to
voice our objections with a reason WHY.
March 2015 -> BRN will be in front of Legislature in Sunset Review and is also
asking to speak against Uniform Standards at that time.
End of Discipline/Diversion Committee Report by M. Houskova, RN, MAIA
(10/16/2014)
BRN Oct 9, 2014
Emeryville, CA