RN urges BRN to clarify differences between intervention and probation programs

During public comment at the Jan. 7 Intervention Evaluation Committee meeting, Nicole Ainsworth, a registered nurse with three decades of neonatal intensive care experience, asked the board to discuss differences between the BRN's intervention program and its probation program and to examine apparent inconsistencies in how cases are handled.

"There are some RNs who maybe did patient facing errors, and they're on diversion, so it's not on their license. And then there are some RNs who are in the probation program where it stays on their license," Ainsworth said, adding that because of the two‑tiered approach "I feel like there's a little bit of inconsistency there, and it is not really serving the public safety." She asked that the topic be discussed at a future meeting.

Loretta Melby, executive officer for the Board of Registered Nursing, responded that staff can provide more detail outside the meeting and that information has been shared in prior IEC education and archived board materials. "You can reach out directly to me ... I could set up a meeting with you and kind of explain the differences," Melby said, and provided an email contact.

The committee did not debate or resolve Ainsworth's substantive concerns in open session; Melby suggested the commenter and staff follow up via email or a separate Teams meeting and noted archived IEC education sessions are available on the board's website.