Connecticut holds nursing licensure and discipline to a high standard, as nursing is a profession that demands exceptional responsibility, professionalism, and diligence. The state even has a law that licensed nurses must follow if they want to practice in Connecticut. The Nurse Practice Act establishes comprehensive guidelines for nursing professionals, detailing licensure qualifications and standards of professional conduct. Under this act, the Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Nursing is responsible for overseeing licensure, setting educational standards, and adjudicating complaints against nurses.
Violations of these standards can lead to disciplinary actions, such as license suspension or revocation. If you're a nursing professional in Connecticut facing a complaint, it's crucial to address the issue promptly to protect your license and livelihood. The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team is available at 888-535-3686 to assist you in protecting your professional standing. You can also send us your information via our contact form.
Prohibited Actions for Nurses in Connecticut
In Connecticut, licensed nurses must adhere to the Connecticut Nurse Practice Act, which establishes the legal framework governing their professional responsibilities and conduct. This law outlines specific rules for nursing practice, including qualifications for licensure, maintaining professional standards, and providing safe and competent care. It also defines the boundaries of a nurse's scope of practice, ensuring patient safety while setting clear expectations for professionalism.
However, the Nurse Practice Act is highly detailed and complex, covering everything from documentation protocols and medication administration to patient confidentiality and ethical decision-making. Even with the best intentions, nurses may inadvertently violate these laws without realizing it. A minor lapse in record-keeping, a misunderstanding of scope-of-practice guidelines, or a well-meaning decision made under pressure could be interpreted as a breach of the regulations.
The complexity of the Nurse Practice Act means that navigating its requirements can be challenging, particularly when trying to balance strict adherence to the law with the demands of patient care. For nurses in Connecticut, understanding these legal obligations is critical to maintaining licensure and avoiding complaints or disciplinary actions that can threaten their careers.
Improper Unprofessional Conduct for Licensed Nurses in Connecticut
The Connecticut Nurse Practice Act lists the conduct that “fails to conform to the accepted standards of the nursing profession.” Some examples cited in the law are:
- Fraud or material deception in trying to obtain licensure
- Illegal conduct
- Incompetence or negligence in carrying out nursing duties
- Physical illness or loss of motor skill
- Emotional disorder or mental illness
- Abusive or excessive use of alcohol, narcotics, or chemicals
- Fraud or material deception while performing professional duties
- Willful falsification of any record pertaining to drugs which results in detrimental patient health
- Conviction of any crime stated in the Nurse Practice Act
- Failure to provide information to the state Department of Public Health in order to complete a care provider profile
Although these actions are listed explicitly in the Connecticut Nurse Practice Act, they are not a comprehensive list of what the state considers unprofessional conduct for nurses. This list is indicated as “including but not limited to….”
The law also defines unprofessional conduct as “standards accepted by those practicing the same profession in the same territory.” What does this definition mean, exactly? It implies that conduct standards can change. What's accepted or not accepted by nurses in the profession isn't static; it's subject to changes in technology, advances in medical research, and even societal values.
It also means that if you're accused of unprofessional conduct, the board has only to prove that your behavior falls into this “unacceptable” category to take disciplinary action.
Scope of Nursing Practice
The Connecticut Nurse Practice Act outlines specific roles and responsibilities for Registered Nurses (RNs), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Here's how the law defines the scope for each type of nurse in the state:
Registered Nurses (RNs)
RNs in Connecticut are permitted to:
- Diagnose human responses to health problems.
- Provide supportive and restorative care, health counseling, and teaching.
- Participate in case finding, referrals, and collaboration in health care regimens.
- Execute medical regimens under the supervision of licensed physicians, dentists, or APRNs.
- Carry out orders from physician assistants, podiatrists, and optometrists (if within their scope of practice).
- Execute dietary orders from certified dietitian-nutritionists.
RNs must remain within their scope of practice and cannot execute orders beyond their qualifications or the scope of the issuing practitioner's license.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
In Connecticut, APRNs are permitted by the Nurse Practice Act to do the following:
- Perform advanced diagnostic and treatment activities.
- Prescribe, dispense, and administer medical therapeutics and corrective measures.
- Prescribe and dispense professional drug samples in collaboration with a physician for the first three years of licensure.
- After meeting specific experience requirements (3 years and 2,000 hours of collaborative practice), APRNs may practice independently and perform diagnosis, treatment, and prescribing without physician collaboration.
- Make and certify pronouncements of death within 24 hours of the determination.
APRNs also have some restrictions on their scope of practice. During the initial three years of licensure, APRNs must collaborate with a licensed physician and follow written agreements that outline prescriptive authority, especially for controlled substances (Schedule II and III drugs). APRNs have to document this collaboration with their physicians and submit the documentation to the Department of Public Health.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
The Nurse Practice Act defines the permitted scope of practice for LPNs as follows:
- Perform selected tasks under the supervision of an RN or APRN.
- Contribute to supportive and restorative care, health counseling, and teaching.
- Execute medical regimens directed by licensed physicians, physician assistants, podiatrists, optometrists, or dentists.
- Carry out dietary orders from certified dietitian-nutritionists.
LPNs cannot perform independent diagnostic or prescriptive activities, however, and must operate strictly under the direction and supervision of higher-level practitioners.
Common Challenges for Scope of Work for Connecticut Nurses
Nursing laws are highly detailed. As a nurse in Connecticut, you need to pay close attention to how you carry out your duties so you don't unintentionally commit a violation. The key areas that nurses should pay the most attention to are:
- Acting outside their defined scope of practice.
- Misinterpreting collaborative requirements or supervisory relationships.
- Failing to maintain required documentation or fulfill specific reporting obligations.
It's often misinterpreting the scope of work that lands nurses in trouble. As a healthcare provider, you have your patients' needs first and foremost in your mind and you want to do everything in your power to help them. However, if you take unauthorized actions, you could end up being accused of violating the Nurse Practice Act.
If you do get accused of practicing outside the scope of your license, you can call the Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team. The Nurse Practice Act is a complex, detailed piece of legislation, and you don't have the time to read and analyze it to figure out exactly what you did wrong. That's our job. Our attorneys are familiar with the Nurse Practice Acts all over the country, and we can thoroughly assess your situation to provide you with a strong defense.
Additional Requirements and Regulations for Connecticut Nurses
Nurses must maintain professional conduct and follow the scope allowed by their licenses, but they also have other requirements to follow in the Nurse Practice Act.
Examination Requirements
- RNs and LPNs: Candidates must pass a licensure examination approved by the State Board of Examiners for Nursing to demonstrate competency in their respective fields.
- APRNs: Applicants must hold current certification from a recognized national certifying body and meet educational and clinical practice requirements.
Continuing Education Requirements
- RNs and LPNs: Beginning January 1, 2022, and every six years thereafter, must complete at least two contact hours in training related to mental health conditions common to veterans and their families, including screening for conditions like PTSD and suicide prevention.
- APRNs: Must complete a minimum of 50 contact hours of continuing education every two years, including at least five hours in pharmacotherapeutics and training in specific topics such as infectious diseases, risk management, and substance abuse.
Additional Regulations for APRNs
- Collaborative Practice: For the first three years of licensure, APRNs are required to collaborate with a Connecticut-licensed physician. After this period, and upon meeting specific experience requirements, APRNs may practice independently.
- Prescriptive Authority: APRNs may prescribe, dispense, and administer medical therapeutics, including controlled substances, in accordance with collaborative agreements and state regulations.
Complementary Rules to the Nurse Practice Act
In addition to the Nurse Practice Act, Connecticut nurses must also follow other sets of guidelines.
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
The Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Nursing enforces specific regulations that complement the Nurse Practice Act. These regulations cover areas such as nursing education program standards, licensure requirements, and practice guidelines. They provide detailed definitions and set forth criteria for nursing practice within the state.
American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics
Connecticut nurses are expected to uphold the ethical standards outlined in the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. This code serves as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality care and ethical obligations. It addresses the fundamental values and commitments of the nurse, boundaries of duty and loyalty, and aspects of duties beyond individual patient encounters.
Institutional Policies and Procedures
Healthcare facilities in Connecticut may have their own policies and procedures that nurses must follow. These internal guidelines are designed to align with state laws and professional standards, ensuring that nursing practice within the institution meets all regulatory and ethical requirements.
What to Do If You're Accused of a Violation
As you already know, you have a lot of rules to follow as a nurse in Connecticut. It's not only intentional, willful violations that can get you in trouble; even honest mistakes or misinterpretations of your duties can land you in front of the board for disciplinary action.
The board follows a formal procedure for these disciplinary violations, which you can read about in more detail on our Connecticut nurse license defense resource page.
As soon as you learn you've been reported to the board or that someone is planning to report you to the board, you should contact the Lento Law Firm. Our Professional License Defense Team is ready to step in and take charge of your case. We can help you defend your license against the board and reduce the risk of adverse disciplinary action like license suspension or worse. It's never too early to call the Lento Law Firm—the sooner we can get involved in your case, the better.
How the Lento Law Firm Can Help
Obtaining a nursing license is a significant achievement, representing years of dedication, study, and effort. Naturally, you want to keep your ability to continue practicing. Unfortunately, even a single complaint can jeopardize your career, potentially leading to sanctions such as a formal reprimand or a temporary suspension of your license. These outcomes can occur even if you are in the right, as the board may overlook crucial evidence or appear biased toward the complainant. If a complaint has been filed against you, don't assume the matter will resolve itself with a simple explanation. Engaging the Lento Law Firm early allows us to help you build a compelling case, ensuring your side of the story is properly presented and preventing the situation from escalating. Once disciplinary proceedings progress too far, it becomes much harder to influence the outcome.
The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team defends nurses nationwide in cases involving allegations of negligence, unprofessional conduct, and more. We're committed to helping you protect your license and avoid excessive penalties. Your career is too important to leave to chance—act decisively to protect your future.
Call 888-535-3686 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation and discuss your nurse practice issue.
