Jenny Barnhouse, Executive Director
Oklahoma Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 52926
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73152
Re: Johnson, Case No. 3.2025030127.26
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. Respondent is currently licensed with a single-state licensed practical nurse (“LPN”) license number 206682.
The Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act (“Act”) authorizes the Board to impose discipline when a nurse is guilty of deceit or material misrepresentation in obtaining “a license to practice . . . licensed practical nursing”, or “[i]s guilty of unprofessional conduct as defined in the rules of the Board;”[1] or “[h]as had disciplinary actions taken against the individual’s registered or practical nursing license . . . in this or any state, territory or country.” 59 O.S.Supp.2023, § 567.8(B)(1)(a), (B)(7), (B)(10).
On December 18, 2025, a Complaint was filed against Respondent’s LPN license, alleging that on or about December 13, 2022, Respondent had entered into an Agreed Order with the Texas Board of Nursing (“Agreed Order”) for sleeping while on duty on or around November 8, 2020, through November 9, 2020. The terms of the Agreed Order included that Respondent received the sanction of a Warning with Stipulations, Respondent’s Texas vocational nursing license was designated as “single state,” and Respondent could not work outside the State of Texas in another nurse licensure compact party using a Texas compact license, among other sanctions.
On or about January 2, 2023, Respondent submitted to the Board an LPN Renewal Application to practice multistate licensed practical nursing (“2023 Renewal Application”). Respondent falsified the 2023 Renewal Application by answering “NO” to the question asking if there had been any disciplinary action taken against her nursing license. Respondent’s answer was false as she should have disclosed the Agreed Order with the Texas Board of Nursing. On January 22, 2025, Respondent again submitted to the Board an LPN Renewal Application (“2025 Renewal Application”), having marked “NO” to the same discipline question. Respondent’s answer was again false, as she should have disclosed the Agreed Order with the Texas Board of Nursing.
On March 3, 2025, the Board rescinded Respondent’s multistate LPN license and issued Respondent a single-state LPN license. Respondent does not meet the requirements and is not entitled to a multistate license as specified in the Act. Respondent accepted service of the Complaint and Notice of Hearing. Respondent failed to file a written response to the Complaint.
At the hearing on January 29, 2026, the Board declared Respondent in default and the allegations of the Complaint deemed admitted. The Board proposes that Respondent’s single-state LPN license remains in effect and disciplined as follows: Respondent’ LPN license shall be placed on probation for employment as an LPN for 1,440 cumulative worked hours to be completed in two (2) years; Respondent shall work in a hospital and/or health care agency setting during the probationary employment under the supervision of not more than two (2) registered nurses who agree to comply with the Guidelines for Supervised Practice; Respondent shall, within ninety (90) days after receipt of the Board’s Order, successfully complete courses on Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics, to include Professionalism, Professional Boundaries, and Social Networking; Course must be approved by the Board before enrollment; Respondent shall within sixty (60) days from receipt of the Board’s Order pay an administrative penalty of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) as well as the cost of investigation and prosecution in the amount of five hundred eighty dollars and eighty-seven cents ($580.87); Respondent shall submit to the Board the applicable licensure modification fee within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Board’s Order.
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 nurses meet minimum standards of professional conduct.
Cheryl Dixon
Deputy General Counsel
