Running head: Professional Meeting Paper 1

Professional Meeting Paper, Virginia Board of Nursing

April L. Fraser

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

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Professional Meeting Paper, Virginia Board of Nursing

Overview of Professional Meeting

I attended the Virginia Board of Nursing Formal Hearing on November 19th. I selected

this meeting because I wanted to learn about the individuals that sit on the board and how they

are selected. I also wanted to see what type of cases come before the board, how decisions are

made, and how those decisions impact nurses, and the community we serve. The Virginia

Department of health states that the overall purpose/goal of the board is to ensure safe and

competent patient care by licensing health professionals, enforcing standards of practice, and

providing information to health care practitioners and the public (Virginia Board of Nursing,

2015). During this hearing I observed three cases. The first two were related to substance abuse,

and inappropriate documentation. The third case was in regards to an LPN who accessed her own

medical record, and was being accused of fraudulently writing a prescription using the doctors

name with whom she was a patient and also worked for. These three cases and their outcomes

provided valuable insight on how common substance abuse is within the health care setting, and

how blurred lines can be with the nurse and physician relationship.

Application of Course Material

The Virginia Board of Nursing works to uphold many objectives in the healthcare profession,

and align with many concepts we have discussed in this course. I will focus on three, regulatory

policy, patient advocacy, and Title VI of the affordable care act Transparency and Program

Program. Regulatory policy played a significant role in the first two cases which were very

similar. Both nurses, one a LPN and the other a RN were facing accusations of substance abuse
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and personal use of patient medication. The American Nurses Association (ANA) says

approximately 10% of nurses are dependent on drugs, making the incidence of drug abuse and

addiction among nurses consistent with that of the U.S. population (Copp, 2009). Both nurses

chose not to come to the hearing. Because of regulatory policy and the authority given to the

Board of Nursing by the state of Virginia, VBON has the power to revoke or suspend both

licenses in these cases. The VBON used this authority and suspended both license for two years,

and required them to come before the board after two years to request reinstatement. In one of

these cases the nurse did not give pain medication to patients in a nursing facility and used it for

her own personal use. These patients were in significant pain until the next shift. A significant

role of the Board of Nursing is Patient Advocacy. These patients in the nursing home needed an

advocate, and the Board of Nursing was their voice. The final concept is the Transparency and

Program Integrity initiated as part of the Affordable Care Act. The third case was in regards to a

LPN being accused of inappropriately using a physician prescription pad. When hearing how this

case came before the board it seemed as though it would be open and shut. However, through

testimony of the physician and defendant involved it was discovered that this particular

physician office did not have transparency, and lacked integrity in regards to office policy. It

appeared as though accessing your own Medical record may have been a common occurrence in

that office prior to this event, and that LPNs and RNs may have practiced outside of their scope

of practice in regards to writing prescriptions and the physician was aware of this. The LPN in

this case received a very lenient consequence, three classes on nursing practice. Her license was

not affected in any way. It seems the VBON saw a bigger issue with the office transparency and

Integrity oppose to the LPNs actions.

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Application to the Profession of Nursing. There is significant value to the profession of

nursing through professional nurse meetings. These meetings help hold all nurses across various

scopes of practice accountable to patients, and each other. Professional nurse meetings also help

enforce laws and policy that have been handed down. The most inspiring thing I learned about

this particular professional nurse meeting is that they not only protect the community, but also

help the nurse learn how to protect his or her license, and be of better service to the community.

Professional meetings help us commit to one of the seven ethical principles of health care,

beneficence. Beneficence is the desire to act in the best interest of others, beneficence is perhaps

the strongest guiding ethical principle of health care professionals (Anderson, McFarlane, 2008)

Professional nurse meetings provide transparency and guidance to the profession as a whole.

This transparency and accountability allows for continued growth of the profession, and

protection of the community.

Reflection. Nurses are on the frontline of patient care, and should be greatly involved in

their workplace and community. They have a perspective that cannot be duplicated. Nurses can

be the best advocates for patients and the profession at the same time. They often have no

personal agenda accept the quality care of patients and the community. Through attending this

professional meeting, I have learned that it is solely my responsibility to protect my license.

When under the guidance of a physician or superior I must not agree to do anything that is in

violation of federal or state law that will negatively impact my license. It is my responsibility to

know the regulations and policy of my state, and the institution I work for. I have also learned

that I must practice good self-care. It appears that some in the health profession develop a

substance abuse problem that they may not have had prior to entering the profession. It is
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important that I practice the tools I have learned at Bon Secours to remain a healthy nurse for

myself and the patients I will care for.

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References

About DHP. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/about/

Anderson, E., & McFarlane, J. (2008). Community as partner: Theory and practice in nursing
(5th ed., p. 73). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Copp, M. (2009, April). Modern medicine. Retrieved from

http://www.modernmedicine.com/authorDetails/17090