Which entity has the authority to levy disciplinary actions against licensed nurses in Florida?

Which entity has the authority to levy disciplinary actions against licensed nurses in Florida?

• A. Board of Medicine
• B. Board of Nursing
• C. Department of Health
• D. Florida Center for Nursing

Answer: (B)

The authority to levy disciplinary actions against licensed nurses in Florida lies with the Board of Nursing. This board is the regulatory body charged with licensing nurses and enforcing the Nursing Practice Act, which includes imposing sanctions such as reprimand, probation, suspension, or revocation of a nursing license for violations like unsafe practice, unprofessional conduct, or fraud. The Board operates under the Department of Health, but it is the Board itself that conducts the disciplinary process and makes decisions about sanctions. The other entities listed do not have this responsibility: the Board of Medicine regulates physicians, not nurses; the Department of Health is the umbrella agency that oversees regulatory boards; and the Florida Center for Nursing is a research and workforce advocacy organization, not a disciplinary authority.

The authority to levy disciplinary actions against licensed nurses in Florida lies with the Board of Nursing. This board is the regulatory body charged with licensing nurses and enforcing the Nursing Practice Act, which includes imposing sanctions such as reprimand, probation, suspension, or revocation of a nursing license for violations like unsafe practice, unprofessional conduct, or fraud. The Board operates under the Department of Health, but it is the Board itself that conducts the disciplinary process and makes decisions about sanctions. The other entities listed do not have this responsibility: the Board of Medicine regulates physicians, not nurses; the Department of Health is the umbrella agency that oversees regulatory boards; and the Florida Center for Nursing is a research and workforce advocacy organization, not a disciplinary authority.