Newsletter, April 2012

15 Pages·2012·0.46 MB·English

OKLAHOMA BOARD OF
NURSING NEWSLETTER
Volume 25, Issue 2
April 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

Faces of Nurses

By Liz Michael, MS, RN

Have you ever thought about how many home health nurse caring for the pa- Inside this issue:
faces there are of nursing? When you tient has the resources necessary to
Board Meeting Notice 2
initially think about a nurse, you may provide optimal care for when the
picture an individual in a white uniform patient goes home. Follow-up care Advanced Practice Regis- 3
or scrubs, typically working in a hospital may include some sort of outpatient tered Nurses Maintaining
Prescriptive Authority
environment, yet there are so many infusion or chemotherapy in addition
more faces than that. Nurses fill a vast to home health services, all provided
The Use of Social Media 5
number of roles in the health care con- by nurses. Finally, the patient may
tinuum; this had never really impacted receive after-care from a Certified Revised Guidelines Ap- 6
proved
me until I began looking at the paths pa- Nurse Practitioner who takes over as
tients follow as they begin their health his or her primary care provider.
Licensure Information Can 8
care journeys. Be Verified Online
Behind the scenes, there are nursing
Frequently Asked Ques- 9
Consider this: A patient has a doctor’s leaders who ensure safe and effective
tions Regarding New Con-
visit in a clinic setting, and the office patient care, by employing qualified tinuing Qualifications
Requirements For Renew-
nurse helps to set up a procedure at a competent nursing staff in their facil-
als of RN/LPN Licenses
local hospital. When the patient arrives ity. They make certain that their staff
to the hospital, a pre-op nurse gathers are given the tools to practice accord- New Board Members Ap- 10
pointed by Governor
information, which is then shared with ing to the standards of nursing prac-
the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthe- tice, and that, as advances in care or
Change of Address 11
tist, who provides anesthesia, and with technology become available, those
the surgical nurse. The patient travels tools are provided along with the edu- Summary of Board Ac- 12
through to recovery, then to the patient cation and training to make changes. tivities
care unit. The nurse(s) in the patient care Working with regulatory agencies, Peer Assistance Pro- 14
unit may collaborate with specialty nurses developing effective policies and pro- gram Provides Support
and Structure
(diabetic nurse educator, wound ostomy cedures, and navigating the changes
nurses, etc.) and with the case manage- in the health care industry pose huge
Board Members 15
ment nurse to ensure that the patient’s challenges for the nurses who choose
needs are met at discharge, and that the Office Staff 15
(Continued on page 2)
Page 2 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012
There are many other roles for nurses as well: Ad-
(Continued from page 1)
leadership. These nurse leaders may no longer be at vanced Practice Registered Nurses are involved in
the bedside, but they advocate for the nurses who are, many areas of care; nurses are in research, product
and for the patients in their care. development, and sales; nurses care for prisoners in
our prison systems; accreditation agencies use
Nurses in the academic community are responsible nurses in surveyor roles; insurance agencies utilize
for the education and initial training of our new nurses for chart audits, and the list goes on and on.
nurses. They build curricula and learning experi- The one constant is that all nurses want to ensure
ences in order to grow and nurture the nurses of the that patients receive the safe and competent care
future. These nurse educators have immense chal- they deserve.
lenges due to the diverse groups of individuals they
are asked to educate, the ever-changing health care en- Is it any wonder that nurses are in high demand?
vironment, shrinking resources, and strict regulations Which face are you? Will you be in more than one
and standards. The educational system makes certain role during your career? Nursing is a diverse and
that we have safe and qualified nurses to care for pa- exciting calling. The opportunities are there; you
tients. just have to reach for them.

BOARD MEETING NOTICE

All Oklahoma Board of Nursing meetings are open to the public except those portions that may be in
Executive Session. The first day of Board meetings generally begins at 5:30 p.m., with the second and
third day beginning at 8:00 a.m. All actions are taken in open session. Nurses, members of other pro-
fessional disciplines, students, and the public are invited to attend. Groups that plan to attend should
schedule their attendance in advance with the Board office to ensure that seating is available. There is
an Open Forum on the first day of each Board meeting. Anyone wishing to address the Board about a
nursing issue should contact Kim Glazier, Executive Director, and request to be placed on the agenda
for the Open Forum. Committee meetings are also open to the public. Please call ahead if you plan to
attend, as dates, times, and locations may be changed. The committee meetings are cancelled and re-
scheduled if it is determined that a quorum will not be present.
MEETING DATE SITES
Oklahoma Board of Nursing May 22, 23, & 24, 2012 Wyndham Garden Hotel
July, 24, 25, & 26, 2012 2101 S. Meridian
Generally begins 1st day—5:30 p.m. Sept. 25, 26, & 27, 2012 Oklahoma City, OK
2nd & 3rd day—8:00 a.m. Nov. 6, 7, & 8, 2012 405-685-4000
Please check agenda for time.
CRNA Formulary Advisory Council April 23, 2012 Board office
Nursing Education and June 18, 2012 Board office
Practice Advisory Committee
Formulary Advisory Council August 16, 2012 Board office
Advanced Practice Advisory Commit- August 23, 2012 Board office
tee
Page 3 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
Maintaining Prescriptive Authority
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) with prescriptive authority will submit in writing the as-
prescriptive authority can order/prescribe medica- signed DEA number to the Board of Nursing within
tions (subject to an exclusionary formulary), medical fourteen (14) days of receipt. No more than a 30-
supplies/treatments, and lab and/or diagnostic studies. day supply for Schedule III-V drugs shall be pre-
scribed by the APRN with prescriptive authority.
APRNs without prescriptive authority who order
[OAC Section 485:10-16-5]. In addition to the
medications, medical supplies/treatments, or lab
Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, The Okla-
and/or diagnostic studies are in violation of the Okla-
homa Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
homa Nursing Practice Act (ONPA), 59 O.S. Section
(OBNDD) Regulation OAC Section 475.25-1-3(B)
567.1 – 567.19.
states that practitioners are required to keep readily

retrievable records with respect to all controlled dan-
The ONPA provides that a Certified Nurse Practitio-
gerous substances schedules III-V that they prescribe
ner (CNP), a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), and a
and administer. The APRN may NOT prescribe or
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) are eligible, in ac-
administer any controlled dangerous substance for
cordance with the scope of practice of the APRN, to
personal use, or for an immediate family member
obtain recognition as authorized by the Board to pre-
within the first two degrees of consanguinity, i.e.,
scribe [59 O.S. Sections 567.3a. 6, 7, and 8]. To be
spouse, parents, and children (first degree) and broth-
eligible to prescribe, the CNP, CNS, or CNM must ers, sisters, grandchildren, and grandparents (second
submit an application, meet certain educational re- degree). The OBNDD law, specifically OAC Section
quirements, and provide a written agreement with a 475:30-1-3, adds that the previously stated regula-
supervising physician [OAC Section 485:10-16-1 tions shall not apply to medical emergencies when no
through 6]. The APRN with prescriptive authority is other medical doctor is available to respond to the
not authorized to dispense drugs, but the law does emergency. APRNs may prescribe controlled danger-
allow the APRN, subject to federal regulations, to ous substances Schedules III – V for the third degree
receive, sign for, and dispense professional samples (i.e. nieces, nephews, great grandchildren, aunts, un-
to patients. cles, and great grandparents) and below. Regarding
refill limits for non-controlled dangerous substances,

prescriptions may only be refilled as authorized by
An APRN with prescriptive authority may prescribe
the prescriber. There shall be a maximum of one year
in writing, orally or by other means of telecommuni-
from date of original prescription during which the
cation, drugs or medical supplies which are not listed
prescription may be refilled. At that time, a new pre-
on the exclusionary formulary approved by the Board
scription shall be required [State Board of Pharmacy
(www.ok.gov/nursing/prac-exclusfrm.pdf), which are
Rules: OAC Section 535:15-3-11(b)]. APRNs with
within the scope of practice for the APRN, and that
prescriptive authority may write a prescription for a
are not otherwise prohibited by law. The APRN must
non-controlled dangerous substance for any period of
have a supervising physician on file with the Board
time that the APRN feels is safe for that particular
prior to prescribing drugs or medical supplies.
patient up to one (1) year.
Changes to the written statement between the APRN

and supervising physician shall be filed with the In accordance with Board of Nursing Rules, OAC
Board of Nursing within 30 days of the changes and Section 485:10-16-8, written prescriptions must in-
shall be effective upon filing. clude:
 Name, title, address, and telephone number of
The APRN with prescriptive authority recognition the APRN who is prescribing;
must comply with state and Federal Drug Enforce-  Name of physician supervising prescriptive
ment Administration (DEA) requirements prior to authority;
prescribing controlled substances. The APRN with
(Continued on page 4)
Page 4 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April, 2012
(Continued from page 3) a method of assuring availability of the su-
 Name of the client/patient;
pervising physician through direct contact,
 Date of the prescription;
telecommunications or other appropriate elec-
 Full name of the drug, dosage, route, and spe- tronic means for consultation, assistance with
cific directions for administration; medical emergencies, or patient referral. Ap-
 DEA number of APRN, if required; and plicants for renewal who have submitted a
 The signature of the APRN. written statement signed by the physician

supervising prescriptive authority prior to
Records of all prescriptions will be documented in
renewal but within ninety (90) days of the
client/patient records. As mentioned above, APRNs
expiration date are not required to submit
may prescribe medications and treatments within
another written statement for renewal [Board
their specialty only if they have been granted pre-
of Nursing Rules, OAC Section 485:10-16-
scriptive authority by the Board. The prescriptive au-
6].
thority recognition for each specialty area is an ad-

ditional application process from advanced practice
Because of the nature of Certified Registered Nurse
licensure.
Anesthetist (CRNA) practice, rules related to select,

The application for renewal of prescriptive author- order, obtain, and administer (SOOA) authority are
ity shall be concurrent with the two-year RN licen- slightly different for APRNs holding CRNA licen-
sure renewal and renewal of advanced practice recog- sure. For law and rules related to CRNA SOOA au-
nition and shall include: thority, please see the Oklahoma Nursing Practice
 A completed application containing such in Act, specifically Title 59, Section 567.3a.10; and the
formation as the Board of Nursing may pre- Rules, Section 485:10-18.
scribe and required fee;
 Documentation approved by the Board verif- The Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act shall not be
ying a minimum of fifteen (15) contact hours, construed to affect or apply to the practice of any
or one academic credit hour of education or legally qualified nurse of another state who is em-
the equivalent, in pharmacotherapeutics, clini- ployed by the United States government or any bu-
cal application and use of pharmacological reau, division, or agency thereof, while in the dis-
agents in the prevention of illness and in the charge of his or her official duties [Oklahoma Nurs-
restoration and maintenance of health, in a ing Practice Act: 59 O.S. Section 567.11.5]. There-
program beyond basic registered nurse prepa- fore, if an APRN or a CRNA is employed by such
ration, approved by the Board, and within the facilities, the licensed APRN shall be in compliance
two-year period immediately preceding the with state law of the state in which licensure and ad-
effective date of application for renewal or vanced practice recognition has been granted.
prescriptive authority, which is applicable to
the scope of practice (This documentation Laws regarding the practices of APRNs with pre-
requirement does not apply to individuals scriptive authority involve several different regula-
renewing within twenty-four (24) months of tory agencies. APRNs are encouraged to read all ap-
initial prescriptive authority approval); and plicable statutes, rules, and policies frequently and
 A written statement signed by the physician carefully to ensure compliance. If you have ques-
supervising prescriptive authority that includes tions, please contact Jackye Ward, Associate Direc-
tor for Nursing Practice, at 405-962-1800.
Page 5 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012

The Use of Social Media
Social media has a definite presence in society today. “Nurses must recognize that it is paramount that
Nurses are no exception in joining the pattern of dis- they maintain patient privacy and confidentiality at
cussing practice realities and expressing their all times, regardless of the mechanism that is being
thoughts about their work world in these networks. A used to transmit the message, be it social networking
word of caution: Action can be taken on a nursing or a simple conversation. As licensed professionals
license when the nurse’s use of social networking vio- they are legally bound to maintain the appropriate
lates the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act and Rules. boundaries and treat patients with dignity and re-
The American Nurses Association spect,” comments NCSBN Board of Di-
(ANA) and the National Council of rectors President Myra A. Broadway, JD,
State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) MS, RN, executive director, Maine State
have united in developing guidelines Board of Nursing.
regarding social media and network-
ing for nurses. The following news “Social Media can be a powerful tool,
release has been prepared by the ANA one with the potential to enhance or un-
and NCSBN. dermine not only the individual nurse’s
career, but also the nursing profession,”
The use of social media and other said ANA President Karen A. Daley,
electronic communication is expand- PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “ANA hopes
ing exponentially; the latest statistics indicate that these principles provide a framework for all nurses
there are 150 million U.S. Facebook accounts and to maintain professional standards in a world where
Twitter processes more than 250 million tweets communication is ever changing.”
worldwide on a daily basis. Social networking can be
a positive tool that fosters professional connections, American Nurses Association

enriches a nurse’s knowledge base, and promotes 8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 400

timely communication with patients and family mem- Silver Spring, MD 20910-3492

bers. ANA and NCSBN caution nurses that they need www.nursingworld.org

to be aware of the potential consequences of disclos-
ing patient-related information via social media and National Council of State Boards of Nursing
mindful of employer policies, relevant state and fed- 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900
eral laws, and professional standards regarding pa- Chicago, IL 60601-4277
tient privacy and confidentiality. 312-525-3600
www.ncsbn.org

Do you have a question about nursing practice? Two of the many online resources

available to you are the Frequently Asked Questions page which is found under the link for

“Practice Advanced Practice”, and the Practice News and Alerts page, which is found under the

link for “Agency Data.” Both are available on the Board’s website:

www.ok.gov/nursing.
Page 6 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012

Revised Guidelines Approved
At the November 2011 Board meeting, the following tic instruction and clinical practicum in the
revisions to established guidelines were approved: nursing competencies for limited ultrasound
in a reproductive medicine setting as de-
Limited Obstetric Ultrasound and Limited Ultrasound fined by Association of Women’s Health,
in a Reproductive Medicine Setting Examinations Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses in its 2010
Performed by Registered Nurse Guidelines: Ultrasound Examinations Performed by
Nurses in Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Re-
In addition to updating terminology, the guideline has productive Medicine Settings: Clinical
been revised to include guidelines specific to the Regis- Competencies and Educational Guide;
tered Nurse performing limited obstetric ultrasound in a  Demonstration of the acquired knowledge
reproductive medicine setting as cited in the Ultra- of limited ultrasound in a reproductive
sound Examinations Performed by Nurses in Obstetric, medicine setting including physics and in-
Gynecologic, and Reproductive Medicine Settings: strumentation, technical components of a
Clinical Competencies and Education Guide, 3rd Edi- uterine survey to evaluate the response of a
tion by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric woman to gonadotropin therapy; and
and Neonatal Nurses.  Skills to obtain a clear image and interpret
all components of the examination per-
Revisions to the guideline included but are not limited formed. If the study is technically difficult,
to the following: abnormalities are noted, or the information
 Limited ultrasound in a reproductive medicine gained is not conclusive, consultation with
setting is defined as providing targeted rather the primary care provider is recommended.
than complete diagnostic information. It may
include determination of the number of devel- Prior to presentation to the Board of Nursing for
oping follicles, measurements of follicular approval, the guideline was reviewed and approved
growth, conformation of early pregnancy, or by the Nursing Education and Nursing Practice Ad-
evaluation of endometrial thickness and pattern. visory Committee. The guideline can be reviewed
Limited ultrasound in a reproductive medicine in its entirety at http://www.ok.gov/nursing/rnultra.pdf.
setting may also be used as an adjunct to ultra-
sound-guided procedures, such as egg retrieval,
Wound Debridement by Licensed Nurses Guide-
or cyst or follicular aspiration.
lines:
 Ideally, before a limited ultrasound examination

is performed in a reproductive medicine setting,
Updated definitions include but are not limited to
the woman should have had a comprehensive
the following:
pelvic ultrasound examination within the pre-
 Conservative sharp wound debridement is
ceding six months to exclude gynecologic path-
the removal of loose avascular tissue that is
ology.
not aggressive enough to harm viable tissue

and does not result in blood loss.
The Registered Nurse performing limited ultrasound in

a reproductive medicine setting must have:  Aggressive sharp wound debridement is the
 Training beyond basic nursing preparation in removal of necrotic tissue and its attached
the performing of limited ultrasound in a repro- bacterial burden with or without pain or
ductive medicine setting. This training shall bleeding.
include a minimum of eight (8) hours of didac-
(Continued on page 7)
Page 7 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012
In addition to updating definitions, qualifications competency validation.
and training were updated for Licensed Practical Prior to presentation to the Board of Nursing for ap-
Nurses and Registered Nurses: proval, the guideline was reviewed and approved by
 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) may as- the Nursing Education and Nursing Practice Advisory
sist with conservative sharp wound debride- Committee. The guideline can be viewed in its en-
ment only if they have advanced education tirety at http://www.ok.gov/nursing/prac-wnbrd.pdf.
and training in the wound debridement proc-
ess and are under the direct supervision of a Exclusionary Formulary for Advanced Practice
Registered Nurse or physician competent in Registered Nurses with Prescriptive Authority:
conservative sharp debridement. LPNs per-
forming conservative sharp wound debride- Revisions to the Exclusionary Formulary include but
ment are restricted to scissors only. are not limited to:
 Conservative sharp wound debridement may  Reformatting the policy narrative to clarify,
be provided by only those Registered prior to the formulary, the purpose of the Ex-
Nurses with advanced preparation in the clusionary Formulary;
wound debridement processes.  Combining volatile and gases into one sub-
category, Inhalation Anesthetics, as reflected
Qualifications for the Advanced Practice Registered in the current reference of the American Soci-
Nurses were added to the guideline in the following ety of Health-System Pharmacist American
statement: “Aggressive Sharp Wound debridement Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Drug
may only be performed by an Advanced Practice Information Manual 2011; and
Registered Nurse with advanced preparation in the  Adding one drug, Fospropofol (Lusedra), to
wound debridement process.” the list of drugs that Advanced Practice
Nurses cannot prescribe.
In providing wound debridement, licensed nurses
may intervene based upon orders or institutional Prior to presentation to the Board of Nursing for ap-
protocols prescribed by those authorized by state proval, the guideline was reviewed and approved by
law to so prescribe. Initial and continued competen- the Formulary Advisory Council. The guideline can
cies added to the previously listed skills include be accessed at http://www.ok.gov/nursing/pracexclusfrm.pdf.
skin and tissue anatomy and physiology and skill
Page 8 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012

Licensure Information Can Be Verified Online
Nursing licensure information can be verified online, mitted to the Board. You may obtain the appropriate
using the Board’s website: www.ok.gov/nursing. form on the Board’s website on the following link:
Click on the link for “License Verification” to access www.ok.gov/nursing/writverify.pdf.
the verification system. By using the online license
verification system, an individual can verify license Each night, the website is updated to ensure that it
type, license number, current license status, original reflects all license actions entered on the previous
issue date of the license, expiration date, and the city day. By using the license verification system, cur-
and state in which the licensee resides. Further, an rent information on the license status can be ob-
individual can verify whether the Registered Nurse tained. Online verification of license status is con-
holds or has held an additional license as an Advanced sidered verification directly from the Oklahoma
Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). By selecting the Board of Nursing. The website is electronically se-
link “APRN/RX,” the current APRN status can be cure, and the information on the site is from the
verified, as well as verifying Board’s licensure database.
whether the APRN holds cur-
rent prescriptive authority rec- Each licensee is encouraged to take
ognition. In addition, the super- the time to verify the online license
vising physician(s) for the information. For questions regard-
APRN with current prescriptive ing the information on the website,
authority recognition are dis- please contact the Board office at
played. [phone]. For further infor-
mation on the Board’s Privacy Pol-
As reported in the November icy, please go to the website and
2011 newsletter, the Board’s click on “Privacy Policy” on the
disciplinary orders are also pro- Verify licensure online home page.
vided online dating back to January 2009. Board Or-
ders are usually posted within two (2) months of the Please remember that all nurses are required to no-
nurse’s administrative hearing. To access discipline, tify the Board in writing of any change of address
go to the Board’s website and click on “License Veri- within 30 days of the change [485:10-7-9, 485:10-9-
fication.” There will be a “Y” under “Discipline since 9]. The address can be changed online, by clicking
1/09” if there has been discipline. Click on the “Y” to on the link to “Change Address,” or the licensee
review and/or print the discipline. For certified copies may mail a written notification of the address
of the discipline or for discipline prior to January change.
2009, an Open Records Request will need to be sub-
NOTICE TO LICENSEES SUBMITTING ONLINE RENEWALS:
The OBN online renewal system provides a convenient way for you to submit your renewal.
However, it is essential that you protect the security of your online information. Your PIN
number, which is required for the renewal, should not be shared with anyone, even with your
spouse or with support staff members at your place of employment who tell you that it is their
“job” to submit the renewal for you. You are the only person who can complete and submit
your online renewal!
Page 9 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding
New Continuing Qualifications Requirements
For Renewals of RN/LPN Licenses
Beginning January 1, 2014, all Registered Nurses and Q: I’m not currently working. What kind of
Licensed Practical Nurses licensed in the State of contact hours can be used to meet the re-
Oklahoma must meet continuing qualifications re- quirement, and where can I find them?
quirements for renewal, by completing one of the fol-
lowing options within the two (2) years prior to the A: You may use any educational offering that is
date of expiration of the license: applicable to nursing practice and provides
contact hours for continuing education credit.
Option 1: Verify employment in a position that The contact hours must have been earned
requires a registered/practical nurse license with veri- within the two-year period immediately pre-
fication of at least 520 hours; or ceding the expiration date of your license,
beginning in 2014. For example, if you are a
Option 2: Verify the completion of at least twenty- Registered Nurse, and your current license
four (24) contact hours of continuing education appli- effective date is February 1, 2012, with an
cable to nursing practice; or expiration date of January 31, 2014, you
would need to earn 24 contact hours between
Option 3: Verify current certification in a nursing February 1, 2012, and January 31, 2014, to
specialty area; or be eligible to use this option for renewal.

Option 4: Verify completion of a Board-approved There are many educational offerings that are
refresher course; or offered for continuing education credit. Ex-
amples include nursing seminars and work-
Option 5: Verify completion of at least six (6) aca- shops, nursing journal articles that allow you
demic semester credit hours of nursing coursework at to complete a posttest and submit it for re-
the licensee’s current level of licensure or higher. ceipt of continuing education credit, and
online nursing educational offerings. You
The following are frequently asked questions that can easily identify whether the seminar,
have been received in the Board office regarding the workshop, journal article, or online education
new continuing qualifications for practice require- is being offered for continuing education
ments. credit by reviewing the program description,
as the provider will include a statement that
Q: I don’t work in a clinical position, but my job identifies the target audience, the number of
requires me to hold a nursing license. Will continuing education contact hours to be
this meet the requirements? awarded, and the name of the approver.

A: If your job requires you to use your nursing Q: I work part-time, but I will not have
knowledge and the job description states a worked 520 hours within the two-year pe-
RN/LPN license is required, then you will meet riod. Can I combine different options to
the requirements. If you are audited, your em- meet the requirements?
ployer will need to complete an Employment
Verification Form for submission to the Board
office with a copy of your job description.
(Continued on page 10)
Page 10 Oklahoma Board of Nursing Newsletter April 2012
to the Board office, unless you are audited.
(Continued from page 9)
A: No. You must complete either Option 1, 2, 3, 4, If you are audited, you will receive written
or 5 in its entirety. notification approximately two months be-
fore the expiration date of your license. You
Q: What should I send in with my renewal to will then need to submit documentation as
show that I meet the continuing qualifications indicated in the letter, no later than the expi-
for practice requirements? ration date of your license. Please note that
it is important that you maintain the docu-
A: Beginning January 1, 2014, you will be asked to mentation related to continuing qualifications
verify that you have met the continuing qualifica- for practice for the two-year renewal period
tions for practice requirements when you submit prior to the expiration date of your license.
your renewal. You do not need to send anything

New Board Members Appointed by Governor
Governor Mary Fallin recently appointed five new County Memorial Hospital and she is an honorary
members to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. They commander on Altus Air Force Base. Ms. Colling-
are K. Renee Collingwood, CFP; Cori Loomis, JD; wood will serve as a public member of the Board.
April Merrill, APRN-CNS, DNP; Marilyn S. Tur-
vey, LPN, BS; and Madonna Newcomer, RN, MSN. Cori Loomis, JD, is an attorney for Crowe & Dunlevy
The new Board members take the places of June in Oklahoma City. She is an advisory director in the
Cash, M.Ed, public member; Linda Martin, LPN; Business Department and a member of the Firm’s
Elizabeth Schultz, APRN-CRNA; and Nettie Seale, Healthcare practice group. Ms. Loomis graduated
M.Ed, RN, who completed their terms of appoint- with special distinction from the University of Okla-
ment in 2011, as well as MaryJac Rauh, MPH, who homa, and with honors from the University of Texas
resigned from the Board. The Board extends its ap- School of Law. She has served as a board member on
preciation to Ms. Cash, Ms. Martin, Ms. Schultz, Community Health Charities, is a board member of
Ms. Seale, and Ms. Rauh for their dedication to en- Prevent Blindness and a member of the Church of the
suring the safety of the citizens of Oklahoma. Servant Administrative Council, and participates in
other community and charitable activities. Ms. Loo-
K. Renee Collingwood, CFP, is the Senior Invest- mis is also a member of the American Health Lawyers
ment Executive for Western Oklahoma at MidFirst Association. She will serve as a public member of the
Bank in Altus, offering securities and insurance Board.
products through PrimeVest Financial Services. She
is also a 14-year veteran of the U.S. Army with ser- April Merrill, APRN-CNS, DNP, is the Deputy Direc-
vice in Afghanistan and Haiti. Ms. Collingwood is a tor of the Joanna Briggs Institute of Oklahoma at In-
graduate of Cornell University, with a Bachelor of tegris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. Ms.
Arts in Asian Studies. She is active in the Altus Ro- Merrill is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma,
tary Club, is a member of the Military Affairs Com- where she earned her Bachelor of Science and Master
mittee, and serves in the Altus Chamber Ambassa- of Science in Nursing. In 2011, she earned her Doc-
dors. In addition, she is a Trustee for Jackson
(Continued on page 11)