SIGNING IN: Louise Bailey, MEd, RN, interim executive officer of California's Board of Registered Nursing, smiles as she signs official paperwork for the office after being sworn in by Doreathea Johnson, deputy director of legal affairs for the Department of Consumer Affairs.

With the July 24 appointment of new board member Erin Niemela, California's revamped Board of Registered Nursing was at full strength for its July 26 special meeting, called to appoint an interim executive officer.

The board selected Louise Bailey, MEd, RN, BRN supervising nursing education consultant, to fill the vacant executive officer position while it looks for a permanent replacement for Ruth Ann Terry, MPH, RN, who resigned July 14.

Bailey earned a BSN from San Francisco State University and MEd from the University of Virginia, and she completed course work toward a PhD in education at Virginia Polytechnical Institute. She taught at the college of nursing at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she also was coordinator of student affairs for the college of nursing. She has been an education consultant to the BRN for the past 15 years.

"I am honored to be selected by the board," Bailey told ADVANCE. "I'm looking forward to working with our staff and evaluating the entire agency to see how we can improve things."

Their first formal action, board members deliberated for more than 3 hours before announcing Bailey's appointment.

"In addition to Louise's dedication to the BRN and nurses in California, continuity was an important factor for us," said Kathy Ware, MSN, ANP-C, RN, "We believe with her background and experience, she will be an ideal candidate to help us move the board forward."

Niemela was appointed by state Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento). She had been chief of staff to former Senate President Don Perata (D-Oakland). Her term expires June 1, 2012.

ALL A'BOARD: California's newly reformed Board of Registered Nursing convened for the first time July 26 to select an interim executive officer for the board. Louise Bailey, MEd, BSN, RN, was chosen to fill the slot while a national search is conducted for a permanent replacement. Pictured with Bailey (second from left) is the full board: Anne Boynton (left); Dian Harrison; Kathy Ware, MSN, ANP-C, RN; Richard Rice; Nancy Beecham, BS, RN-BC; Judy Corliss, RN; Catherine Todero, PhD, RN; Jeanne Graves, RN; and Erin Niemela. photos by Candy Goulette

Following the meeting, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), which oversees the BRN, held a public meeting on the BRN's enforcement process. The meeting was spurred by a LA Times/Pro Publica report on the length of time the BRN took to investigate and discipline nurses accused of "egregious misconduct."

Stacie Berumen, enforcement program manager, presented a report of the program's current situation. While saying the length of time from complaint to resolution has been unacceptable, she noted a number of obstacles have played a role in the delay and reminded those at the hearing that anyone accused of any crime must be afforded due process.

Specifically, she said understaffing in the BRN's enforcement unit, combined with a similar situation in the DCA's Division of Investigation (DOI), means investigators are handling up to 600 cases each. Even after cases have been investigated and sent to the attorney general's office, it takes an average of more than 7 months for the case to come back to the BRN for approval.

Berumen offered several suggestions. She would like the BRN to increase its investigative staff by 60 to augment operations in the complaint unit, enhance monitoring of nurses on probation and in diversion, and manage disciplinary cases. She would like to see more enforcement managers in the BRN's organizational structure, as well. She said additional costs associated with adding staff could be offset by increasing nurses' license fees. She also proposed BRN participation in Nursys, a national license verification system through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Berumen said the BRN's diversion program should allow for automatic license suspension and continuing investigation while a nurse is in diversion. She also suggested the BRN look at mandatory information sharing between other state regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

Acting DCA Chief Deputy Director Patricia Harris said the suggestions, along with testimony from other DOI officials, the attorney general's office and members of the public, would be taken under advisement.

Commenting on both meetings, new BRN executive officer Bailey said: "The staff of the BRN is in this together. We will do whatever we need to do to improve. We have a great staff whose top priority is protecting the public and ensuring the nurses licensed in California are willing and able to go the distance for their patients. Most are, but we're determined to find those who aren't and either help them or remove them from the profession I love so much."

Candy Goulette is regional public relations/editorial liaison at ADVANCE.