Jenny Barnhouse, Executive Director
Oklahoma Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 52926
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73152
Re: Allen, Case No. 10.2024080393.25
Dear Executive Director Barnhouse:
This office has received your request for a written Attorney General Opinion regarding action that the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (“Board”) intends to take in the above-referenced case. Applicant has submitted a single-state application to practice Licensed Practical Nursing.
The Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act (“Act”) authorizes the Board to impose discipline, including a denial of licensure, when a nurse “[i]s guilty of . . . any offense substantially related to the qualifications, functions or duties of any licensee[,]” or “[h]as had disciplinary actions taken against the individual’s . . . license . . . in this or any state, territory or country.” 59 O.S.2021, § 567.8(B)(2), (10).
Applicant submitted an application for a single-state LPN license on August 27, 2024. Applicant has a criminal history, including a 2006 theft conviction, a 2016 Driving While Ability Impaired conviction, and a 2019 revocation of her Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) certification by the Colorado State Board of Nursing for unprofessional conduct, including physical abuse of a patient. In 2019, the Colorado Board of Nursing revoked Applicant’s CNA certification following an investigation that found she struck a patient and caused pain during a routine procedure. The Board determined these actions violated patient rights and displayed unprofessional behavior. Furthermore, the applicant failed to respond to the disciplinary process, leading to a default decision. In light of these offenses, the Oklahoma Board of Nursing proposes to deny Applicant’s application for a single-state LPN license in Oklahoma.
It is, therefore, the official opinion of the Attorney General that the Oklahoma Board of Nursing has adequate support for the conclusion that this action advances the State’s policy to protect public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring that nurses meet minimum standards of professional conduct.
Cheryl Dixon
Deputy General Counsel
