Impairment Issues before the Nursing Board
The Texas Board of Nursing’s E&D Committee is discussing the following issues today:
1. Discussion and review of the Board¿s policies and rules relating to physical and psychological evaluations for mental impairment, physical impairment, and/or chemical dependency/abuse of drugs or alcohol, including review and discussion of the Occupations Code §301.4521; 22 Tex. Admin. Code §§213.20, 213.29, and 213.30; proposed amendments to 22 Tex. Admin. Code §213.33; and the Eligibility and Disciplinary Sanctions for Nurses with Substance Abuse, Misuse, Substance Dependency, or Other Substance Use Disorder.
2. Presentation by Dr. A. David Axelrad, M.D., relating to physical and psychological evaluations, including information regarding objective testing, evaluation criteria, and qualifications of evaluators.
3. Committee recommendations regarding proposed amendments to 22 Tex. Admin. Code §213.33 and guidelines for physical and psychological evaluations for mental impairment, physical impairment, and/or chemical dependency/abuse of drugs or alcohol.
4. Continued discussion and review of SB 1415, enacted by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, effective September 1, 2009, and Pilot Program on Deferral of Final Disciplinary Actions, including discussion of the feasibility of conducting a pilot program to determine the efficacy of deferring disciplinary actions.
5. Committee recommendations regarding the feasibility of conducting a pilot program to determine the efficacy of deferring disciplinary actions pursuant to SB 1415.
This means that we should see some new rules or guidelines or policies coming from the Board regarding psychological evaluations and something regarding how the Board plans to implement SB 1415. So, more to come….