Ohio Board of Nursing
Mission
The mission of the Ohio Board of Nursing is to actively promote and protect the health of the citizens of Ohio through the safe and effective practice of nursing as defined by law. Measurable ends to achieve this mission include competent practitioners, informed public, and a law which accurately reflects the dynamic practice of nursing.
Background
The Board of Nursing is a governmental agency established by Ohio law to protect the public from unsafe practice by nurses and dialysis technicians. The Board has authority only over its licensees and certificate holders and not over the facilities in which these individuals practice. The Board enforces the nurse practice act (the law regulating nursing practice), with funding for all of its activities coming solely from the fees paid to the Board by licensees and certificate holders.
Functions of the Board
The Board does not have authority to take action on issues that are of an employment nature or that relate to the profession of nursing or dialysis care as a whole. These matters are best dealt with by nursing or dialysis technician associations, labor unions or other similar entities. The powers and duties of the Board are stated in the law with the Board allowed to perform only those specific functions authorized by law. Those functions include:• Establishing standards for pre-licensure nursing educational programs and dialysis technician training programs
• Establishing requirements that applicants seeking a license or certificate from the Board must meet
• Facilitating the licensure examination for those seeking licensure as an RN or LPN
• Issuing licenses to beginning, qualified registered nurses and licensed practical nurses and certificates to qualified dialysis technicians
• Issuing certificates of authority to qualified certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists
• Issuing certificates to prescribe drugs and therapeutic devices to qualified certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists
• Renewing licenses and certificates
• Establishing the formulary for nurses with prescriptive authority
• Establishing standards for the advanced pharmacology course required to obtain prescriptive authority
• Establishing standards for continuing education (CE)
• Establishing standards of safe patient care provided by licensed nurses and dialysis technicians
• Investigating alleged violations of the nurse practice act
• Disciplining those who do not practice according to prevailing standards of safe care or who violate other provisions of the nurse practice act<
• Providing alternatives to discipline through the Alternative Program for Chemical Dependency and the Practice Intervention and Improvement Program (PIIP). The goal of the non-disciplinary approach of both of these programs is to encourage early intervention and treatment or remediation to prevent harm to patients.
17 South High Street, Suite 400
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3413
Phone : 614-466-3947
Fax: 614-466-0388
