§969. Duties and powers of the board

A. The board shall:

(1) Prescribe minimum curricula and minimum standards for practical nurses and courses for practical nurses.

(2) Approve practical nursing training at all schools making application, public or private, accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, and hospitals with courses meeting the requirements of the board. All other requirements such as enrollment, staffing, tuition, etc. will be regulated by the criteria established by the recognized accrediting agency of the schools.

(3) Examine and license qualified applicants, and renew licenses.

(4) Conduct hearings upon charges calling for discipline of a licensee, or for revocation, denial or suspension of a license issued or applied for under this Part upon proof that the person:

(a) Is guilty of fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a license to practice practical nursing; or

(b) Is guilty of a crime; or

(c) Is unfit, or incompetent by reason of negligence, habit, or other causes; or

(d) Is habitually intemperate or is addicted to the use of habit forming drugs; or

(e) Is mentally incompetent; or

(f) Is guilty of unprofessional conduct; or

(g) Has violated any provisions of this Part.

(5) Have all other powers necessary and proper to the performance of its duties.

B. The board may do all of the following:

(1) Issue subpoenas and administer oaths to persons giving testimony at hearings.

(2) Employ and fix compensations of persons necessary to carry on the work of the board.

(3) Appoint an attorney to represent the board in all matters pertaining to the administration of this Part and fix his compensation and define his duties.

(4)(a) Request and obtain state and national criminal history record information on any person applying for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of any license or permit which the board is authorized by law to issue, including permission to enroll as a student in nurse training courses.

(b) Charge and collect from an applicant for any license or permit which the board is authorized to issue, including permission to enroll as a student in nursing courses, in addition to all other applicable fees and costs, such amount as may be incurred by the board in requesting and obtaining criminal history record information on the applicant.

(c) Promulgate the rules, regulations, and procedures, in cooperation with the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information of the office of state police within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States Department of Justice, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, that are necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.

(d) Require any applicant requesting the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of any license or permit which the board is authorized to issue, including permission to enroll as a student in any nurse training course, to provide a full set of fingerprints, in a form and manner prescribed by the board, as a condition of the board's consideration of his application.

(5) Adopt and revise all rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Part.

Acts 1954, No. 315, §1, Acts 1968, No. 80, §1; Acts 1976, No. 432, §1; Acts 1990, No. 642, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1343, §2, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2016, No. 368, §1.