Revocation of Nurses' Licenses: How Does it Happen?

Friedman , Freedom of Contract and Occupational Licensing 1890–1910: A Legal and Social Study , California Law Review 53: 487, 494 (1965).

Lesnik M. Anderson B. , Nursing Practice and the Law (J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia) (2d ed. 1962) at 90 [hereinafter referred to as Lesnik & Anderson].

Id. See Bullough B. , The Law and the Expanding Nursing Role (Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York) (1975) at 1–20 (detailed history of nursing licensure).

Rothman D. Rothman N. , The Professional Nurse and the Law (Little, Brown & Co., Boston) (1977) at 72.

Requirements for licensure generally include vocational training, satisfactory completion of an examination and certain personal qualifications such as demonstration of good moral character. Nursing and the Law (Health Law Center and C. Streiff, eds.) (Aspen Systems Corp., Rockville) (1975) at 52–53. For a summary of state requirements for licensure and functions, and composition of nursing boards presented in tabular form, see Department of Health, Education and Welfare, State Regulation of Health Manpower (U.S. Gov't. Printing Ofc., Washington, D.C.) (1977) at 91–103.

See Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §333.16226 (1981) (listing variety of sanctions to be applied for violations of §333.16221).

Lesnik Anderson , supra note 2, at 95.

See Herz v. Degnan, 648 F.2d 201 (3d Cir. 1981) (court held that psychologist had a constitutionally protected property interest in her valid New Jersey license; the only reasons that the state could refuse renewal of, revoke, or suspend her license were specified in the statute and were inapplicable).

See, e.g., Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.018(a) (West 1981); Ill. Ann. Stat. ch. 111, §3420(1) (Smith-Hurd 1980); N.J. Stat. Ann. §45: 1-21(a) (West 1981); Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §18.88.230(1) (1978).

See. e.g., Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §2761(k) (West 1981).

See, e.g., Cal. Bus. 6k Prof. Code §2761(f) ( West 1981) (requiring conviction of a felony or any offense “substantially related to the qualification, function, and duties of a registered nurse”); 63 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. §224(5) ( Purdon 1981) (convicted, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a felony); Va. Code §54-367.32(h) (1981) (convicted of a felony).

See Ky. Rev. Stat. §314.091(b) (1981) (“felony or misdemeanor which involved acts that bear directly on the qualifications or ability of the… licensee to practice nursing”). One court has held that the conviction of a registered nurse of a misdemeanor did not by itself warrant revocation of her license; instead, the license was suspended for two years. Hoyte v. Board of Regents, 304 N.Y.S.2d 693 (App. Div. 1969).

See, e.g., Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-99(b)(5) (1981); Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 32, §2105(D) (1978); N.M. Stat. Ann. §61-3-28(A)(4) (1981).

Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.018(1) (h) (West 1981).

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §2762 (West 1981).

Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.018(1) (h) (also including other physical and mental conditions which make nursing practice unsafe).

See, e.g., Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-99(b) (3) (1981); Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §18.88.230(5) (1978).

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §333.16221(b) (iii) (1981).

See, e.g., Va. Code §54-367.32(f) (1981) (“is guilty of unprofessional conduct”); Wis. Stat. Ann. §441.07(1)(d) (1981) (“misconduct or unprofessional conduct”).

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §333.16221(b)(i) (1981).

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §333.16221(e)(i-iii) (1981).

Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.018(1)(f) (West 1981).

Murchison I. Nichols T. Hanson R. , Legal Account ability in the Nursing Process (Mosby, St. Louis, Mo.) (1978) at 31.

388 N.Y.S.2d 42 (App. Div. 1976).

Leib v. Board of Examiners, 411 A.2d 42 (Conn. 1979).

Holder A. , Medical Malpractice Law (Wiley, New York) (2d ed. 1978) at 349 [hereinafter referred to as Holder].

A few statutes now make fee splitting subject to discipline. See, e.g., Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §§333.16221(c)(iii), (d)(i-iii) (1981).

Legal definitions of unprofessional conduct within the courts of a state have usually been held sufficient to withstand constitutional challenge on vagueness grounds. Holder , supra note 27, at 348.

See supra note 15, and accompanying text.

Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.017 (West 1981).

Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-99 (1981).

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §2761(a)(1) (West 1981).

N.J. Stat. Ann. §45: 1-21 (c) (West 1981).

Id. at §45: 1-21(d).

Nurse Examiners v. Hohu, 268 P.2d 401 (Colo. 1954).

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §2231 (West 1981).

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §§333.16221(c)(iii), (d)(i-iii) (1981).

Fla. Stat. Ann. §464.018(1)(i) (West 1981).

Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-99 (a) (1981); Va. Code §54-367.33.1 (1981).

Ky. Rev. Stat. §314.091 (1982).