Compliance Section

The Compliance Section of the Consumer Protection Branch monitors nursing licenses that have been placed on probation or participants whom have requested admission into the KARE for Nurses Program.

The probationers or participants are required to comply with all provisions of their Board order or Board contract.  Failure to comply with these provisions may result in a suspended license or a denied reinstatement of the license. 

Once the terms and conditions of the Board order or Board contract has been successfully completed, the license is restored without restrictions.

The Kentucky Alternative Recovery Effort (KARE) for Nurses program was developed and is offered by the Kentucky Board of Nursing.  The purpose of the KARE for Nurses Program is to identify nurses whose abilities to provide nursing care are compromised by dependency on drugs or alcohol, and to assist these nurses so that they can return to competent and safe practice.

The KARE for Nurses Program is a confidential, non-disciplinary, theraputic monitoring program that offers an opportunity for education, treatment and recovery for the chemically dependent nurse.  Participants must meet the eligibility criteria and voluntarily enter into an agreement with the program.

The program recognizes that nurses are individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others and are now in need of help.  The foundation of the KARE for Nurses Program is that substance abuse is treatable and that the recovery and return of competent nursing practice is in the best interest of the nurse and public health.

The KARE for Nurses Program believes that a nurse should not lose a job or license due to substance abuse and offers an opportunity for encouragement, treatment and recovery.  The program emphasizes hope and is administered with compassion, confidentiality, concern and dignity for the nurse.

...more on KARE for Nurses Program

KBN has taken disciplinary action by placing the nursing license on a limited/probated status for a period of time to monitor the nurse for assurance of safe nursing practice.

A license can be placed on probation for the following violations:

• Drug/alcohol abuse
• Diverting narcotics from facilities or patients
• Positive urine drug screen(s)
• Practice concerns
• Patient abandoment or neglect
• Medication or documentation errors
• Practicing outside of the scope of the license
• Falsification of timesheets to the employer
• Unlawful delegation
• Unprofessional behavior
• License disciplined by another nursing board

A license can also be placed on probation for criminal convictions(s) such as the following:

• Drug related
• Alcohol related
• Conviction(s) that is placed on probation by the court involving fraud, deceit, falsification of records, breach of trust, physical harm or endangerment, or dishonesty

Some of the terms that a probationer has to comply with may be the following:

• Be employed as a nurse for the probationary period
• Meet with a KBN staff member quarterly
• Submit to random alcohol/drug screens
• Have quarterly written reports submitted to KBN by his/her counselor, employer, or therapist
• Supervision or observation of practice
• Supervision or observation of administering narcotics or other medications