New Ohio Board of Nursing Rule Requires Reporting of Certain Criminal Convictions within 30 Days
Published: May 17, 2024 by Brandon SmithUntil recently, most interactions nurses had with the criminal justice system were not required to be reported by the nurse until license renewal.
As of February 1, 2024, that has changed. Now, many interactions with the criminal justice system must be reported to the Ohio Board of Nursing within 30 days. This is a significant change for nursing professionals.
Licensees of the Ohio Board of Nursing must now disclose: (1) any felony; (2) any misdemeanor with a direct and substantial relationship to the practice of nursing; (3) any violation of a drug law; and (4) any driving while impaired or physical control while under the influence. These offenses must be disclosed within 30 days of conviction, guilty plea, finding of guilt, or acceptance into a diversion program or intervention in lieu of conviction.
Prior to this rule taking effect, for many offenses not occurring in the course of practice, it was possible for a nurse to complete their criminal sentence and have the conviction sealed or expunged prior to submitting their renewal application. In other words, in some cases, it was possible to avoid the need to ever disclose an offense to the Board. That is no longer possible.
It is in your best interests to retain an attorney prior to disclosing your criminal conviction to the Board. If you have questions about whether your conviction must be reported to the Ohio Board of Nursing, you should consider contacting one of the licensed attorneys at Graff & McGovern, LPA. Attorney Brandon Smith is available at (614) 228-5800, x. 7 and brandon@grafflaw.com.