BRN enforcement update: vendor acquisition, oral-fluid testing plan and spike in viral complaints
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Summary
At the Enforcement, Investigations and Intervention Committee meeting, staff said the board plans to add oral-fluid testing to its vendor contract at renewal, is monitoring Vault’s sale to Affinity Health Group, and flagged a surge of 'viral' complaints that has raised complaint-processing burdens.
The Board of Registered Nursing’s Enforcement, Investigations and Intervention Committee heard an enforcement division update noting three operational developments that could affect discipline and monitoring.
Deputy Chief Tim Banger told the committee the board previously authorized oral-fluid testing for probationers but staff discovered the current contract does not include that modality. Banger said the board plans to include oral-fluid testing in the vendor contract when it is renewed at the end of the fiscal year.
Banger also said Vault — the board’s testing vendor and a former First Advantage company — notified BRN in January 2026 that it was acquired by Affinity Health Group. He said the acquisition is in early stages and staff will monitor how the transition affects services.
On complaint volumes, Banger reported that as of Jan. 20, 2026, BRN had received 3,361 complaints and that the office has seen a rise in so-called "viral" complaints tied to single incidents that generate many duplicate submissions. He said the board is working with the Department of Consumer Affairs and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to identify best practices for handling large-volume complaint events and to avoid diverting staff time from other cases.
Banger said another performance metric of concern is that 19% of the board’s discipline cases were pending with the Attorney General for more than a year; staff said they aim to reduce that proportion toward a 5–8% range.
The committee was also told the board has posted a probation "frequently asked questions" document to its website to help probationers understand expectations and timelines.
The update drew questions about recruiting expert consultants for review work. Executive Officer Loretta Melby noted published hourly rates and said those rates and the part-time nature of the work can affect recruitment; she said rates are posted on the board website. Committee members thanked staff for the report.
