Georgia is a hot market for nurses looking for employment. With the third lowest nurse-to-population ratio in the country, there's no denying the state needs nurses.
If you're familiar with state licensing processes in other states, you won't find Georgia to be much different. You'll need to satisfy education requirements and submit to a background check. The state operates under a Nurse Practice Act that requires you to keep your record clean and perform your duties in a way that upholds the profession.
The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team helps Georgia nurses who are having licensing issues in the state. If you have questions about your Georgia nursing license, contact us at 888-535-3686 or complete our confidential online form.
The Georgia Board of Nursing
Headquartered in Atlanta, the Georgia Board of Nursing oversees all licensing for nurses in the state. When a complaint comes into the board, members follow a clearly outlined disciplinary process that starts with an investigation.
If you practice nursing in Georgia, it's important to not only familiarize yourself with board processes but also to look at the activities that can put your license in jeopardy. Georgia's restrictions are similar to those of other states, but each state has its own unique licensing requirements, so you'll need to familiarize yourself with them.
Georgia's Nurse Practice Act
Georgia's nursing board operates under a Nurse Practice Act specific to the state. This act dictates how the board issues and manages nursing licenses, from the day an application is submitted to renewals and suspensions.
To become a nurse in Georgia, you'll need the following:
- Degree from an approved nursing education program
- Registration through the NCLEX exam system
- Registration for a fingerprint exam for a background check through Fieldprint
- Application with all required documentation, including college transcripts, a background check consent form, and documents explaining any past arrests or disciplinary action
Once issued, you'll need to renew your license every two years. You'll also need to remain compliant with the requirements outlined in the Nurse Practice Act. Failure to comply may lead to a report being filed through the Georgia Department of Community Health, at which point you'll be investigated and face potential disciplinary action.
Nursing Professionals in Georgia
Georgia employs a wide range of nursing professionals, each with its own scope of practice. The state licenses the following nursing professionals:
Registered Nurse
Only those licensed by the state as registered professional nurses can use the title, along with the abbreviation RN. Registered nurses can:
- Assess the health status of patients or groups
- Make nursing-related diagnoses
- Establish goals and implement nursing care
- Manage and supervise nursing care by others
- Teach nursing
- Administer, order, and dispense medications and treatments as dictated by laws
- Administer medications and treatments as directed by a physician
Advance Practice Registered Nurse
Only those licensed as an advance practice registered nurse can use both the title and the abbreviation APRN. This umbrella term refers to registered nurses who serve as:
- Certified nurse midwives
- Certified nurse practitioners
- Certified registered nurse anesthetists
- Clinical nurse specialists/psych-mental health
- Clinical nurse specialists
Georgia APRNs should operate under a written agreement that specifies which medical acts will be delegated from the physician to the APRN. APRNs maintain the highest level of authority among Georgia's nursing professionals, which means not only can they treat and care for patients, but they can also order medications and diagnostic tests.
Licensed Practical Nurse
Those holding licensed practical nurse licenses can use the title and abbreviation LPN. A Georgia LPN works under the supervision of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or registered nurse. LPNs can:
- Participate in assessing the health status of patients
- Offer direct patient care in a healthcare facility or home health setting
- Provide comfort and safety to patients
- Administer medications and treatments as directed
Licensed Undergraduate Nurse
Prior to 1975, undergrad students with licenses allowing them to practice were able to use the term licensed undergraduate nurse, abbreviated as LUN. Those who held the title on July 1, 1975, can continue to use it, but it has since been retired.
License Renewal Requirements
Landing your Georgia nursing license is an achievement. You'll be able to work in the state from that point forward. However, in two years, your license will be up for renewal. It's important to understand the state's renewal requirements so that you can work on meeting them. They are:
- Completion of continuing education requirements
- Remittance of required fee
- Compliance with all board requirements during previous years in practice
The board considers each renewal application and makes a decision based on the information presented. Failure to renew a license will result in its revocation, but it can be later reinstated at the discretion of the board.
Continuing Education Requirements
To keep your nursing license active, you'll need to meet Georgia's continuing education requirements. The state gives five options:
- Completion of 30 hours of continuing education through an approved provider
- Maintaining certification or recertification by an approved national certifying body
- Completion of at least two credit hours of an academic program related to the nursing field
- Verification of competency by a licensed healthcare facility or entity
- Completion of an approved reentry program or graduation from a nursing education program
You only need to meet one of the above requirements to qualify for nursing license renewal. You'll need to submit paperwork proving completion as part of your renewal application.
There are exceptions to these requirements. If your first license was only in effect for six months or less before your first renewal, the board will renew your license and then have you meet the requirements when your next renewal comes due.
The board may also waive the requirements in the case of hardship, disability, or illness. The state gives the nursing board the freedom to use its discretion in these instances.
Georgia License Denials and Revocations
Georgia's nursing board prioritizes patient safety, which means its medical professionals need to be vetted as much as possible. During the application and background check processes, certain things will result in a denial. The same goes for your renewal.
But this vetting isn't limited to applications. Even once your license is in place, the following can get it revoked:
- Conviction of certain crimes, including felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, and violations of law involving controlled substances and drugs
- Past revocation, suspension, or denial of a nursing license in any state
- Past disciplinary action by a medical board in any state
- Unprofessional conduct that's considered harmful to the public, including improper charting of medication
- Violation of a previous board order
- Displaying an inability to practice nursing due to controlled substance, mental illness, or a physical condition
The board uses its own discretion and professional expertise to make decisions on a case-by-case basis. In the last instance, the board has the right to request medical records on an applicant or licensee to investigate whether the person is indeed fit to practice nursing in the state.
Practicing Without a License
A current medical license is required to practice nursing in the state of Georgia. Practicing without a license is a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $1,000 per violation and up to two to five years in prison.
This includes:
- Practicing without a license
- Practicing with a fake license or a license that was obtained using a fraudulent diploma
- Improperly characterizing yourself as a nurse by using abbreviations or symbols
- Knowingly employing an unlicensed nurse to practice as one
- Conducting a nursing education program not approved by the state
- Knowingly helping an unlicensed person practice as a nurse
There are some exceptions to this rule. If you're practicing as part of an educational program, for instance, or if you're rendering emergency assistance, the board bends the rules a little. The courts will decide whether a violation has taken place once a violation has been reported.
Obligation to Report
If you're a nurse in the state of Georgia, you're required to report any violations. There are some things to know about this obligation, though.
- You're required to report if you have reasonable cause to believe a violation has occurred
- If you have reasonable cause to believe a report has already been filed, you aren't required to file a duplicate report
- If the nurse is a patient and the information given is protected by patient-professional confidentiality, no report is required
What incidents are reportable? All the above-mentioned violations of the Nurse Practice Act require reporting. You may see a nurse practicing without a license or while under the influence, for instance. If you don't report it, you could be held liable, along with the person in violation.
The act also provides protection for nurses reporting a violation in good faith. An employee cannot be punished, either civilly or criminally, for following these reporting requirements.
Multistate Nursing and Georgia
Georgia is one of 42 jurisdictions that are part of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC), which is an agreement that lets nurses work across state borders. As a participant in the NLC, the board must ensure that every practicing nurse meets its requirements, including:
- Meets all state requirements, including graduation from a board-approved nursing program
- Has successfully completed the NCLEX exam
- Has submitted fingerprints or other biometric data for use in a background check
- Holds an active, unencumbered Georgia nursing license
- Has not been convicted or found guilty of a felony
- Is not enrolled in an alternative program
- Has a valid U.S. Social Security number
As part of the Nursing Compact, the Georgia BON holds a responsibility to ensure any practicing nurse in the state upholds the state's requirements. If a nurse violates those requirements, the board must take action in accordance with its own rules, regardless of the state where that nurse is licensed.
Protecting Your Georgia Nursing License
You worked hard for your nursing license, so it's important to do what you can to safeguard it. Whether you only practice in Georgia or you take advantage of the Compact for Travel Nursing, one mistake could derail your career.
Here are some things you can do to keep your license in good standing:
- Pay close attention to all the above-mentioned reasons for denials and revocations
- Be upfront about your education and experience and make sure all requested documents are legitimate
- Avoid alcohol use if you're in a situation where you could be unexpectedly called into work
- Avoid errors when charting and administering medications
- Report any observed violations of the state's medical regulations
- Stay on top of renewals to avoid an unintentional lapse where you're unknowingly practicing without a license
- Report any disciplinary action issued to you by other states
Handling Accusations
No matter how conscientious you are, someday you may find yourself at the other end of a report. When that happens, the Georgia BON will launch an investigation. This complaint process is not anonymous, so the board will have the name of the person who filed it.
In Georgia, BON complaints are assigned to an investigator, who will research whether a violation has actually occurred. This investigator may contact you with questions, but in some unfounded cases, the case is closed with the professional never speaking to an investigator.
If the investigator finds that a violation has occurred, disciplinary action will follow. You may enter into a consent agreement with the board. If not, an administrative hearing is typically the next step. During this hearing, you can state your case, and at this point, the complaint will no longer be private.
After the investigation is complete, the board will issue a finding. The Georgia BON can discipline in the following ways:
- Monetary fine
- Reprimand
- License suspension
- License revocation
The entire process can take months. Unless an emergency license suspension was ordered, you should be able to continue to practice until a final decision is made.
License Defense for Georgia Nurses
Maybe you're a Georgia nursing professional facing disciplinary action. Maybe you're simply worried about staying above board while practicing nursing in the state. In either case, the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team is here to help. If you have questions about your Georgia nursing license, call us at 888-535-3686 or complete our online form.
