43-26-52. Institutional reporting requirements; voluntary submission to alternative to discipline program not subject to reporting requirement.

Hospitals, nursing homes, temporary staffing agencies, and other employers of registered professional nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, or licensed practical nurses shall report to the board, or ensure that such report has in fact been made to the board, the name of any nurse whose employment has been terminated or who has resigned in order to avoid termination for any reasons stipulated in Code Section 43-26-53.#

A state agency that licenses, registers, or certifies hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, or other types of health care facilities, or surveys one of these facilities or agencies, shall report to the board when such state agency has evidence that a nurse has violated Code Section 43-26-53 or ensure that such a report has in fact been made to the board.#

In the event a nurse enters a voluntary alternative to discipline program approved by the board, reporting to the board shall not be required for such nurse by a person under this Code section. The board may approve alternative to discipline programs for monitoring of nurses who agree to seek treatment for impairment by chemical dependency or mental illness that could lead to disciplinary action by the board. The costs for any treatment programs shall be borne by the nurse.#

The board shall inform, in the manner the board determines appropriate, nurses, facilities, agencies, and other persons of their duty to report under this article.#