If you are a nurse (LVN, RN, APRN) in Texas, you receive the Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin. This is a quarterly newsletter published by the Texas Board of Nursing (Board). Its purpose is to communicate information to nurses and other individuals of interest. The newsletter speaks to the mission of the Board, which is to promote and protect the welfare of the people of Texas. The Board is clear that by publishing this newsletter they are sharing current information and that it has met its obligation. It is up to each nurse to know the changes in the Nursing Practice Act (NPA), rules and other changes relevant to keeping each nurse a safe and competent practitioner. Here are some topics/categories that you will find.
- Notice of Disciplinary Action. We all are familiar with the ‘Notice of Disciplinary Action” section. This is the section that names nurses who have violated the NPA, standards, and Board rules. It informs the public of the nurse’s name, license number, disciplinary action, and date of the action. In addition, they give instructions on how to verify the nurse and access information about the board order. Whenever nurse imposters are identified, the Board also publishes their identifying information and the jurisdiction that was notified. This notification if because these individuals actions fall outside of the sanctions available to the Board for disciplinary action.
- Articles related to current Practice. The article may be related to specialty practice areas, level of licensure, best practices or generic practice issues. These articles represent the standard to which a nurse is expected to provide safe care to the patient.
- Contact information and Dates. How to get in touch with the Board and the various department. Phone numbers and email address may be available for individuals or departments. Dates that various committees of the board meet are also published.
- Education. Courses given by the Board as continuing nursing education are provided. These courses are developed, implemented and evaluated based on state and nationally developed criteria. Continuing competency for nurses is the intent. These courses meet the current definition of continuing nursing education in Texas.
Status of ‘Nursing Education Actions’ lets the public know of schools of nursing on probation, those that are no longer approved in Texas, any new school, and progress of schools toward approval. It also informs the public of schools that have been closed.
- Position Papers. One of the annual updates in the newsletter is about the updating of Position Papers. The board will publish the changes letting you know if they were substantive or minor changes. Occasionally the Board deems it necessary to develop a new position statement based on current practice or on issues related to public safety. They may also find it necessary to delete a position statement that is no longer relevant or applicable to current nursing practice.
The Texas Nursing Bulletin represents the public’s right to know. It is critical that nurses read the Bulletin. If you are being investigated, keep in mind that the Board will not accept the excuse that you did not know the current rules. The Board provides the information and they hold you accountable for knowing the changes related to your area of practice. The Board fulfills its mission, so it is our responsibility to take advantage of and keep ourselves up to date. The saddest thing I hear is when nurses admit that they do not read our even look at this document. It could be the difference between knowing what is expected of you and adhering to the rules, or being totally disconnected due to lack of knowledge.