This is from my firm's website, www.nursingattorney.com:

Nurses always ask what can they do to improve  the regulation of their practice by the Texas Board of Nursing.  There are questions of how to make the process more fair, especially for those nurses who have never had a violation before and have a wonderful history of nursing practice.  Now, nurses can make a difference and ensure that two proposed rules pass; two proposed rules which will benefit nurses in Texas.

All nurses should read the recently proposed changes for the BON's  rules sections §213.32, Corrective Action Proceedings and Schedule of Administrative Fines and §213.35, Knowledge, Skills, Training, Assessment and Research (KSTAR) Pilot Program.  (22 Texas Administrative Code §213)  These rules will help nurses with minor practice violations resulting in disciplinary actions at the level of Remedial Education (§213.32) and at the level of Warning with Stipulations and Remedial Education (§213.35).  The levels include with and without a fine.

The Corrective Action Proceeding is non-reportable to the databanks and is not considered a disciplinary action.  Previously this option was restricted previously to administrative documentation type cases such as failing to inform the Board of a minor past criminal conviction or a failure to monitor the renewals of nurses under your supervision.  Expanding this option to practice issues will help the type of cases in the past where a nurse has a stellar nursing practice history but has made an error of some type; having these nurses put under disciplinary orders was one of the biggest problems facing the Board in my opinion.

Allowing deficiencies in nursing practice to be corrected by the KSTAR program is a great step in the regulation of nurses.  The  typical Board Order may not have addressed specific issues a nurse had and instead lumped all violations of a certain level into the same remedial courses.  The program will not be cheap for the nurse, but if the success is anything like that of other professions who have utilized a KSTAR like program, the program will be successful in preventing recurring Board Orders for additional violations.  This program will be reportable and will be a disciplinary action.

Each program has specific requirements and restrictions, but these two proposed rules are something nurses should support.  In order to help ensure passage of these rules, read the rules and if you are in support, send a letter to James W. Johnston, General Counsel, Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, or by e-mail to dusty.johnston@bon.texas.gov, or faxed to (512) 305-8101.  An additional copy of the comments on the proposal or any request for a public hearing must be simultaneously submitted to Melinda Hester, RN, Lead Nursing Consultant for Practice, Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, or by e-mail to melinda.hester@bon.texas.gov, or faxed to (512) 305-8101. If a hearing is held, written and oral comments presented at the hearing will be considered.

A public hearing is where the public is allowed to voice their opinions regarding the rule in person before the Board; a hearing is not required for comments to be considered if submitted in writing, to the two staff members above as directed and submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 23, 2014  for §213.32, the Corrective Action Proceeding proposed rule and no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 7, 2014 for  §213.35, the KSTAR proposed rule.