2770. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Board of Registered Nursing seek ways and means to identify and rehabilitate registered nurses whose competency may be impaired due to abuse of alcohol and other drugs, or due to mental illness so that registered nurses so afflicted may be rehabilitated and returned to the practice of nursing in a manner which will not endanger the public health and safety. It is also the intent of the Legislature that the Board of Registered Nursing shall implement this legislation by establishing a diversion program as a voluntary alternative to traditional disciplinary actions.
[Ed; skip down to Sec 2770.12, where it mandates that All Records of the nurse's participation, upon Successful Completion, SHALL BE PURGED.]
2770.1. As used in this article:
(a) "Board" means the Board of Registered Nursing.
(b) "Committee" means a diversion evaluation committee created by
this article.
(c) "Program manager" means the staff manager of the diversion program, as designated by the executive officer of the board. The program manager shall have background experience in dealing with substance abuse issues.
2770.2. One or more diversion evaluation committees is hereby created in the state to be established by the board. Each committee shall be composed of five persons appointed by the board. No board member shall serve on any committee.
Each committee shall have the following composition:
(a) Three registered nurses, holding active California licenses, who have demonstrated expertise in the field of chemical dependency or psychiatric nursing.
(b) One physician, holding an active California license, who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of addictive diseases or mental illness.
(c) One public member who is knowledgeable in the field of chemical dependency or mental illness.
It shall require a majority vote of the board to appoint a person to a committee. Each appointment shall be at the pleasure of the board for a term not to exceed four years. In its discretion the board may stagger the terms of the initial members appointed.
2770.3. Each member of a committee shall receive per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.
2770.4. Three members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting. Any action requires a majority vote of the committee.
2770.5. Each committee shall elect from its membership a chairperson and a vice chairperson.
2770.6. The board shall administer the provisions of this article.
2770.7. (a) The board shall establish criteria for the acceptance, denial, or termination of registered nurses in the diversion program. Only those registered nurses who have voluntarily requested to participate in the diversion program shall participate in the program.
(b) A registered nurse under current investigation by the board may request entry into the diversion program by contacting the board. Prior to authorizing a registered nurse to enter into the diversion program, the board may require the registered nurse under current investigation for any violations of this chapter or any other provision of this code to execute a statement of understanding that states that the registered nurse understands that his or her violations that would otherwise be the basis for discipline may still be investigated and may be the subject of disciplinary action.
(c) If the reasons for a current investigation of a registered nurse are based primarily on the self-administration of any controlled substance or dangerous drug or alcohol under Section 2762, or the illegal possession, prescription, or nonviolent procurement of any controlled substance or dangerous drug for self-administration that does not involve actual, direct harm to the public, the board shall close the investigation without further action if the registered nurse is accepted into the board's diversion program and successfully completes the requirements of the program. If the registered nurse withdraws or is terminated from the program by a diversion evaluation committee, and the termination is approved by the program manager, the investigation shall be reopened and disciplinary action imposed, if warranted, as determined by the board.
(d) Neither acceptance nor participation in the diversion program shall preclude the board from investigating or continuing to investigate, or taking disciplinary action or continuing to take disciplinary action against, any registered nurse for any unprofessional conduct committed before, during, or after participation in the diversion program.
(e) All registered nurses shall sign an agreement of understanding that the withdrawal or termination from the diversion program at a time when the program manager or diversion evaluation committee determines the licentiate presents a threat to the public's health and safety shall result in the utilization by the board of diversion treatment records in disciplinary or criminal proceedings.
(f) Any registered nurse terminated from the diversion program for failure to comply with program requirements is subject to disciplinary action by the board for acts committed before, during, and after participation in the diversion program. A registered nurse who has been under investigation by the board and has been terminated from the diversion program by a diversion evaluation committee shall be reported by the diversion evaluation committee to the board.
2770.8. A committee created under this article operates under the direction of the diversion program manager. The program manager has the primary responsibility to review and evaluate recommendations of the committee. Each committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) To evaluate those registered nurses who request participation in the program according to the guidelines prescribed by the board, and to make recommendations.
(b) To review and designate those treatment services to which registered nurses in a diversion program may be referred.
(c) To receive and review information concerning a registered nurse participating in the program.
(d) To consider in the case of each registered nurse participating in a program whether he or she may with safety continue or resume the practice of nursing.
(e) To call meetings as necessary to consider the requests of registered nurses to participate in a diversion program, and to consider reports regarding registered nurses participating in a program.
(f) To make recommendations to the program manager regarding the terms and conditions of the diversion agreement for each registered nurse participating in the program, including treatment, supervision, and monitoring requirements.
2770.9. The committee shall inform each registered nurse who requests participation in a program of the procedures followed in the program, of the rights and responsibilities of the registered nurse in the program, and of the possible results of noncompliance with the program.
2770.10. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to public meetings, a committee may convene in closed session to consider reports pertaining to any registered nurse requesting or participating in a diversion program. A committee shall only convene in closed session to the extent that it is necessary to protect the privacy of such a licentiate.
2770.11. (a) Each registered nurse who requests participation in a diversion program shall agree to cooperate with the rehabilitation program designed by the committee and approved by the program manager. Any failure to comply with the provisions of a rehabilitation program may result in termination of the registered nurse's participation in a program. The name and license number of a registered nurse who is terminated for any reason, other than successful completion, shall be reported to the board's enforcement program.
(b) If the program manager determines that a registered nurse, who is denied admission into the program or terminated from the program, presents a threat to the public or his or her own health and safety, the program manager shall report the name and license number, along with a copy of all diversion records for that registered nurse, to the board's enforcement program. The board may use any of the records it receives under this subdivision in any disciplinary proceeding.
2770.12. (a) After the committee and the program manager in their discretion have determined that a registered nurse has successfully completed the diversion program, all records pertaining to the registered nurse's participation in the diversion program shall be purged.
(b) All board and committee records and records of a proceeding pertaining to the participation of a registered nurse in the diversion program shall be kept confidential and are not subject to discovery or subpoena, except as specified in subdivision (b) of
Section 2770.11 and subdivision (c).
(c) A registered nurse shall be deemed to have waived any rights granted by any laws and regulations relating to confidentiality of the diversion program, if he or she does any of the following:
(1) Presents information relating to any aspect of the diversion program during any stage of the disciplinary process subsequent to the filing of an accusation, statement of issues, or petition to compel an examination pursuant to Article 12.5 (commencing with
Section 820) of Chapter 1. The waiver shall be limited to information necessary to verify or refute any information disclosed by the registered nurse.
(2) Files a lawsuit against the board relating to any aspect of the diversion program.
(3) Claims in defense to a disciplinary action, based on a complaint that led to the registered nurse's participation in the diversion program, that he or she was prejudiced by the length of time that passed between the alleged violation and the filing of the accusation. The waiver shall be limited to information necessary to document the length of time the registered nurse participated in the diversion program.
2770.13. The board shall provide for the legal representation of any person making reports under this article to a committee or the board in any action for defamation directly resulting from those reports regarding a registered nurse's participation in a diversion program.
2770.14. (a) The board shall produce reports which include, but are not limited to, information concerning the number of cases accepted, denied, or terminated with compliance or noncompliance.
(b) The board shall conduct a periodic cost analysis of the program.
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