The Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) is the state regulatory agency that oversees all nursing professionals licensed in Texas. This includes Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). The TBON’s mission is to protect the public by licensing individuals who are qualified to practice nursing, establishing standards for nurses to advance their practice, investigating complaints, and taking disciplinary action when necessary to enforce the Nursing Practice Act and the TBON’s rules.
Complaints against a nurse can come from a number of sources, including fellow nurses, former employers, patients, and their families, law enforcement and criminal prosecutors, and the TBON itself. Once a complaint is opened, the TBON will typically begin an investigation and begin gathering medical records, witness statements, and other evidence to support the allegations. At the conclusion of the investigation, a nurse can be sent a proposed settlement offer that could include everything from a warning and fine to a license suspension or revocation.
If you are a registered nurse in Texas and your license is about to expire, you should contact the Board’s office and make sure that they have your correct address on file. The Board requires that you notify them within ten days of a change of address. The BON also requires you to complete 20 hours of nursing-related continuing education before you can apply for your next renewal. If you fail to meet the CNE requirement, the Board may impose sanctions against your license. The nursing license defense attorneys at the Leichter Law Firm have extensive experience dealing with the Board of Nursing and regularly defend nurses involved in investigations or contested cases before an administrative law judge at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
How to Renew a Nursing License in Texas?
As the healthcare industry faces nursing staffing shortages and burnout, nurses must stay abreast of their Texas Board of Nursing renewal requirements. Failing to renew on time can result in a lapse of licensure that prevents nurses from practicing. A lapse in licensure may also lead to disciplinary action from the board.
The Texas Nurse Portal is a paperless online system that allows nurses to submit applications for initial licensure, endorsements and renewals. Its secure environment allows applicants and licensees to access their information from any location at any time. Applicants and licensees can access their information through the portal by entering the username and password provided. In addition, the system provides up-to-date board information.
In order to renew your RN, LPN, or APN license in Texas, you must meet the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) requirements. These include completing 20 contact continuing education (CNE) hours every two years. The CNE must be related to the nurse’s area of practice. For example, nurses who work with older adults must complete two contact hours in geriatrics. Those who work with sexual assault victims must complete two contact hours of human trafficking training.
The BON also conducts random audits of nurses’ compliance with the CNE requirements. Written notice of selection for an audit is e-mailed to the nurse’s email address on record or mailed to the last known address (if no e-mail is on file) 90 days prior to the nurse’s renewal date. The audit must be submitted and approved before the nurse can proceed with their renewal.