Jenny Barnhouse, Executive Director
Oklahoma Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 52926
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73152
Re: Clarissa Annalee Farley, Case Number 3.007.27
Dear Executive Director Barnhouse:
This office has received your request for a written Attorney General Opinion regarding the emergency temporary suspension that the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (“Board”) intends to take against the single-state registered nursing license No. 210978 of Clarissa Annalee Farley (“Respondent”), which is currently lapsed.
The Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act (“Act”) authorizes the Board to impose a disciplinary action when a nurse “[f]ails to adequately care for patients or to conform to the minimum standards of acceptable nursing . . . practice that, in the opinion of the Board unnecessarily exposes a patient or other person to risk of harm;” “[i]s intemperate in the use of alcohol or drugs, which use the Board determines endangers or could endanger patients;” or “[i]s guilty of unprofessional conduct as defined in the rules of the Board;”1 or “[i]s guilty of any act that jeopardizes a patient’s life, health or safety[.]”2 59 O.S.Supp.2023, § 567.8(B)(3), (B)(4), (B)(7) and (B)(8).
On June 22, 2026, a Board Nurse Investigator filed a Complaint against the Respondent’s RN license alleging the following facts that constitute a violation of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act. On February 27, 2024, Respondent, while on duty at a hospital, displayed impaired behavior. Respondent later admitted to the hospital that she had an “alcohol use disorder” and had consumed alcohol that same day. Upon submitting to two breath alcohol tests, which resulted in 0.255% and 0.243% breath alcohol concentrations, Respondent was sent home. On March 3, 2024, Respondent was subsequently terminated for impaired behavior and “report[ing] to, or remain at work, under the influence of, or impaired by, alcohol.”
On July 1-2, 2024, the Respondent, while working on orientation at another hospital, again displayed impaired behavior while on duty. Respondent’s Preceptor also observed that Respondent removed the wrong insulin for a patient and was unable to draw medication into the syringe. Upon the hospital’s investigation, Respondent admitted that she had ingested alcohol the same day prior to her shift and that she may be intoxicated. On July 2, 2024, Respondent was terminated from the hospital for “Violation of policy # 665 Drugs and Alcohol.”
On February 26, 2026, Respondent, during a telephonic investigative conference with Board staff, admitted to having a substance use problem, specifically alcohol, and confirmed that she had twice reported to work after drinking alcohol. The Complaint and Notice of Hearing were mailed to Respondent by Certified/Restricted delivery mail via the United States Postal Service and on July 20, 2026, were returned to the Board office marked “Return to Sender”/“Not Deliverable As Addressed”/“Unable to Forward.” In addition to mailing the Notice, the Nurse Investigator telephoned Respondent but was unable to leave a voicemail. Further, the Nurse Investigator sent electronic mail correspondence to Respondent’s electronic mail address of record with the Board, requesting that Respondent contact the Board. Respondent has never returned the phone calls and has never replied to the emails sent by the Nurse Investigator.
After a hearing on July 29, 2026, due to the seriousness of the allegations against Respondent, the Board proposes an emergency order to temporarily suspend the license to practice registered nursing held by the Respondent pending a hearing on the merits of the Complaint.
It is, therefore, the official opinion of the Attorney General that the Oklahoma Board of Nursing has adequate support for the conclusion that this emergency action (summary suspension) advances the State’s policy to protect public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring nurses comport themselves with the standards of professional conduct at all times, especially while on duty.
Thomas R. Schneider
Deputy General Counsel
1 Unprofessional conduct means “conduct detrimental to the public interest;” or “failure to cooperate with a lawful investigation by Board of Nursing staff.” OAC 485:10-11-1(b)(3)(H), (V).
2 Conduct which jeopardizes a patient’s life, health, or safety means “[f]ailure to utilize appropriate judgment in administering safe nursing practice or patient care assignment based upon the level of nursing for which the individual is licensed[.]” OAC 485:10-11-1(b)(4)(D).
