[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6501973,"mediaKeyId","5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c","parentId",5665929,"title","BRN executive officer reports 56 IEC reviews, clarifies work and narcotics guidance for nurses in recovery","audioSeconds",905,"startMs",307000,"endMs",1212000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c&start=307&end=1212","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c/thumbnail_307000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6501973/California/BRN-executive-officer-reports-56-IEC-reviews-clarifies-work-and-narcotics-guidance-for-nurses-in-recovery","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501973-f5b38f069c021f3f57e965da02cd4378/orig.mp4?Expires=1775705644&Signature=Bv4iXyV3MUoycqSTa4KqUKNCQZtUYU7aM807gM0fjsN2j7EMRkeUmqZlwrc0DvFBIJ3Qe7xrMHfDSkin~m-AHdIg3j6HOVGr2QXFYyID3suL-2q68djZrnTMkGcSkjhUwt5GiVIZiiEoI65J9Y3QYhGPephWYSS~0SZlRYJZVnZEqBwuN81N-e9lcZV4r~5g6lR6sLVYDj-LN-hi2r2VYXPFGtgbau2lx66~9TnEMLmNYd9K9glpvXWzh~YqWuS8I-oPw66amNQ~sguT37~Lr73TzJBzVh0fh9oMSv5Fm951Nq7796EnIRdb7NHI5k-iOEdgWfUB9iSV8l-mcq557A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Respiratory Care Board of California","date","2025-08-22T21:23:47.93Z","article","Loretta Melby, executive officer of the California Board of Registered Nursing, told the board on Aug. 21, 2025, that 56 Intervention Evaluation Committee (IEC) recommendations have been sent to her office for review, 19 have been approved and 31 have been returned to IECs for reconsideration.

The reviews grew out of a board motion to reassess IEC recommendations that required intervention participants to complete direct patient care hours and to be permitted to pass controlled substances. \"Direct patient care is not required. Working as an RN may be required, but direct patient care is not required,\" Melby told the Board.

The clarification matters because IECs across the state had reached differing conclusions about whether nurses in recovery must return to the exact clinical setting where the conduct occurred. Melby said the committee focus should be on recovery and safety rather than a blanket requirement that participants return to a high‑risk direct patient care role. \"What the IEC really needs to focus on is how are they doing on recovery, not how are they doing on recovery and are they able to pass narcotics?\" she said.

Melby described operational challenges that slowed consistent implementation. The board has nine IECs; under the Bagley‑Keene Open Meeting Act training or group briefings would have to be publicly noticed and could require dozens of committee members to meet in one place. \"We would need 3 members of each of the 9 committees, which would be 27 people to be in 1 location at 1 time,\" Melby said, calling it a \"scheduling nightmare.\" To address the training gap, staff will begin allotting 30 to 45 minutes at the start of each IEC open session so Melby or other board staff can provide education to that committee.

Melby also summarized program statistics and statutory timing. Of the 56 reviews sent to her office, 14 involved reviews that extended beyond three years. \"The law is 3 to 5 years,\" she said, adding that national evidence cited by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows recovery often spans a longer period: \"statistical evidence based data says it's about an 8‑year process for recovery.\" Melby said participants who successfully complete the program may re‑enter if they relapse later and reapply to the program.

Board member Patricia Wynne noted that only 14 of the 56 cases reviewed exceeded three years, and Melby explained that staff had begun corrective work a year before the EO's formal review, reducing the backlog. Melby said many of the cases that exceeded three years did so by months rather than years, often to allow time for missing evaluations or additional clinical information.

Melby said the IECs will continue to use worksite monitors and phased returns (part time progressing to full time) where appropriate. She reiterated a caveat that passing narcotics should be required only where there is evidence of patient harm or a clear safety risk.

The board also heard that the BRN is participating in an NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) pilot to gather longer‑term data on recidivism and outcomes, and that staff will bring regulatory and operational proposals back to the board after additional IEC education is provided.

Melby said she plans to continue attending IEC meetings and that staff will report on the program as the new education approach is implemented.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Registered Nursing Meeting - August 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Loretta Melby, executive officer of the California Board of Registered Nursing, told the board on Aug. 21, 2025, that 56 Intervention Evaluation Committee (IEC) recommendations have been sent to her office for review, 19 have been approved and 31 have been returned to IECs for reconsideration.","taxTitle","Respiratory Care Board of California, Boards and Commissions, Executive, California","taxId",76751,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6501964,"BRN begins 2026 sunset review; board hears calls to subsidize nurse support groups and reconsider APRN rules",5591,2902000,8493000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c&start=2902&end=8493","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c/thumbnail_2902000.jpg","/articles/6501964/California/BRN-begins-2026-sunset-review-board-hears-calls-to-subsidize-nurse-support-groups-and-reconsider-APRN-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501964-4233f2e262f38e4af87098cde15f24e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775705644&Signature=ErOiOxZALCgDEl-yMnnMMgiXrVoqMPxaphklXCTkafXR9vXZhgLm5wtv73gLM19Ph36YL-Uxj2h5NbL2R1R4qJapBIiO8BabXGiKpRqbpL7foVFYsicbdgJoP6vI-n~mk2GUgoXfbUOePnTHr2LuPJ-eyQo5slkM~OoT5ZoTCGEzqAGuFg5cCa6Sflpxi1YLSvYptHwR1ICKnDRYP7XWdDl6iADt3poHAjGNddJ6aKhM--iSpaKKHaP7XCdVYJbDFuTHA7vClo1Wxb78qr68WMU7VmfFv3~oB2NbVDn~~GMyVUD4jZETFCMGryv2sd1jYdDr~gW6PX9tQomZ0-pMMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Executive Officer Loretta Melby outlined the California Board of Registered Nursing's timeline for the 2026 sunset review at the board's Aug. 21, 2025, meeting and invited stakeholder suggestions for statutory and regulatory changes.

Melby said staff will prepare a draft report for the Nurse Practice Committee in October, bring edits to the full board in November, and — if needed — hold a special December meeting for final approval before submitting the report to the Legislature in January. The report will summarize accomplishments, outstanding tasks and stakeholder requests.

Board members used the agenda item to raise priorities for the sunset process. Board member Nilu Patel asked the board to consider eliminating outdated supervision and standardized procedure requirements to align with the APRN consensus model and to give APRN advisory committees greater influence over scope and regulation. Melby replied that standardized procedures are used in many nursing contexts and that APRN advisory committees already make recommendations to the board but do not have statutory rulemaking authority.

Board member Vicky Granowitz and others pressed staff to explore subsidizing nurse support groups that serve intervention participants, noting inconsistent fees and availability. Granowitz and other board members said facilitators sometimes charge participants while other groups provide services at no cost; facilitators and participants have both filed complaints about access and turnover.

Shannon Johnson and Loretta Melby described ongoing work on the support groups: the vendor transition to Premier Health Group, recruitment for IEC membership, and exploration of companies that could provide coordinated training or administrative support for facilitators. Melby stressed that the board is in an exploratory stage and that contracting for centralized support would not automatically replace existing facilitators: \"It does not mean we're going into contract with them. It means we are starting to explore different companies that are out there,\" she said.

Several public commenters urged stronger APRN representation and engagement. Melanie Rowe, a certified registered nurse anesthetist and practice director for the California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, said advisory committees \"are literally the subject matter experts for the profession\" and urged more opportunities for APRN input. Monica Miller, representing the California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, thanked the board and said stakeholder discussions should continue.

Board members and staff encouraged stakeholders to submit proposals to staff. Melby said she would review suggestions but cautioned that some requests fall outside the BRN's statutory authority or better belong in other agencies. She gave the example of facility reporting that would fall under the California Department of Public Health or other state entities rather than the board.

No formal legislative proposals were approved at the meeting. Staff will collect stakeholder input for the sunset report and return to the board with a draft in October.","At the Aug. 21 meeting the BRN outlined the timeline for its 2026 sunset review and received board and public suggestions including subsidizing nurse support groups, examining DUI reporting and discipline policies, and reviewing APRN supervision and advisory committee roles.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6501969,"BRN to add oral‑fluid testing option; enforcement updates show longer case timelines and staffing measures",1094,1346000,2440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c&start=1346&end=2440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665929-872f222056fd2b7275185e3e3298c74c/thumbnail_1346000.jpg","/articles/6501969/California/BRN-to-add-oralfluid-testing-option-enforcement-updates-show-longer-case-timelines-and-staffing-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501969-2602e4075bfd67ecea28e6b1218bda96/orig.mp4?Expires=1775705644&Signature=f0jwZauCtSBj0GCx3bJtYGYmOtHaFmJ~KQtrCtpYuL0wcPQyEFO3NnpXDcaVgDVY60usYUNPXFYmG2vEY8m-liuOtjrjn5qH8AwMA3-L2mt9QKqht4gV4zAek1ddJGn4m0ARGp~5IAAVSEY-EiL6S2ZODMM0D1euHcDcHsYmrV4Al61bn5W2SjYFXv71vPgk6FQLq0FemLIhCINc82cPMe-mb5ESsHSVjz8QdJ0-sOfAws3MKR~3ZfrdNjsdk8vkA87cLPrz030GqNCvxGc8z4VuM6pZVU1LAHU1hM0C6paI2lAvfYVWVqnOZSr23fPFNKtPtXUL3EwgBHETnjqNFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shannon Johnson, Enforcement Division Chief for the California Board of Registered Nursing, told the board on Aug. 21, 2025, that the board voted on May 29 to accept oral‑fluid testing as an acceptable method of random drug testing for probationers and intervention participants and that staff are now processing a contract addendum with the testing vendor.

\"It's really to be used as an alternative in maybe emergency type situations or where another testing type is not available,\" Johnson said, describing oral‑fluid testing as an option for participants who cannot get to a testing site. She said participants must have the oral‑fluid kit available and that follow‑up testing may still be used when warranted.

Johnson gave a broader enforcement update: the complaint intake unit is using complaint prioritization and referral guidelines (CPRG) and holding regular cross‑unit triage meetings; the discipline unit moved nonformal citations back to the discipline unit in April; and the probation unit has completed a video and FAQs in preparation for an updated website. Johnson said monitors average about 48 cases each, which she described as manageable.

She also reported an increase in case age: for the most recent fiscal year that ended Feb. 2025, average days to complete a case rose to about 740 from roughly 529 in prior years. Johnson attributed the rise to several causes, including the loss of a discipline manager and an analyst, temporary slowdowns in fast‑track (paper) cases, and an increase in in‑house investigation time.

On investigations, Assistant Executive Officer Yvonne Leonard Tapps described a pilot launched June 10 that assigns an associate government program analyst (AGPA) to gather preliminary information and requests for data before a special investigator is assigned. Special investigators remain capped at a 30‑case assignment limit; Leonard Tapps said full‑time SIs currently average about 29 active cases and that supervisors and limited‑term staff are helping handle caseload pressure. She noted the use of retired annuitants, who are limited to 960 hours per year.

Board members asked how oral‑fluid testing would work for nurses who must travel in emergencies; Johnson said the test is intended as a temporary alternative, not an exclusive testing method, and that coordination with the vendor is required for kits and processing.

The board did not take formal action on these information items but heard that staff are recruiting expert practice consultants and continuing workflow mapping with the Office of Organizational Improvement to identify efficiencies.","Enforcement Division Chief Shannon Johnson told the board Aug. 21 that an addendum to allow oral‑fluid testing for probationers is being processed, and that BRN enforcement units are addressing increased case ages and staffing gaps that raised average closure time to about 740 days in the last fiscal year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BRN executive officer reports 56 IEC reviews, clarifies work and narcotics guidance for nurses in recovery

BRN begins 2026 sunset review; board hears calls to subsidize nurse support groups and reconsider APRN rules

BRN to add oral‑fluid testing option; enforcement updates show longer case timelines and staffing measures