Ariz. Admin. Code § 4-19-405

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 49, December 6, 2024

Section R4-19-405 - Board-ordered Evaluations

A. Under A.R.S. § 32-1664(F), the Board may order a licensee or CNA certificate-holder to undergo an evaluation by an independent qualified evaluator for the purposes of determining the licensee's or certificate holder's safety and competence to practice. Evaluations may be in the areas of:

1. Nursing knowledge or skills or both;

2. Mental functioning, including but not limited to neuropsychological evaluation, and other cognition evaluations;

3. Medical status including but not limited to medical review of drug screen results, chronic pain evaluation, physical examination, and biological testing;

4. Psychiatric or psychological status including but not limited to substance abuse evaluation, boundary or sexual misconduct evaluations, and psychological testing; or

5. Other similar evaluations that the Board determines are necessary to evaluate a licensee or certificate holder's ability to safely practice.

B. Before making the decision to order the evaluation, the Board shall review the allegations and investigative findings.

C. The Board retains the discretion to use an evaluator based on the evaluator's licensure history, the Board's past experience with the evaluator, and the quality of the evaluation provided. Before conducting a Board-ordered evaluation, a potential evaluator shall submit documentation that the evaluator:

1. Possesses expertise and educational credentials in the area that the Board has ordered an evaluation;

2. Holds a license or certificate in good standing with a licensing or certifying board located in the United States and discloses any past licensure disciplinary actions and criminal history;

3. Will provide equipment and environmental conditions necessary to conduct a valid evaluation;

4. Has no current or past treatment, collegial, or social relationship with the licensee or certificate holder, any family member of the licensee or certificate holder, or the licensee's or certificate holder's legal counsel;

5. Will not enter into a treatment relationship with the licensee or certificate holder unless the relationship is unavoidable due to geographical location or the specific expertise of the evaluator; and

6. Agrees to keep information provided by the Board under subsection (D) confidential as evidenced by a signed confidentiality agreement provided by the Board.

D. Upon receipt of the evaluator's signed confidentiality agreement, the Board may provide confidential investigative information and documents to the evaluator for the purpose of disclosing the reason for the evaluation, the focus of the evaluation, and the conduct causing the Board to order the evaluation including:

1. The complaint and all information that has been received during the investigation of the complaint. Documents may include but are not limited to employment records, medical records, arrest records, conviction and sentencing records, excluding FBI fingerprint results, drug screen results, pharmacy profiles, witness statements, past licensure history, and a summary of information obtained during investigative interviews; and

2. The specific questions for which the Board is seeking answers; and

E. The evaluator shall provide the following information to the Board:

1. A professional report that is objective, thorough, timely, accurate, and defensible;

2. Evaluation findings including diagnosis if appropriate and assessment of ability to practice safely;

3. Recommendations for further evaluation, treatment, and remediation; and

4. Suggestions for assuring safe practice and compliance with treatment and remediation recommendations, if any.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-19-405

Adopted effective February 20, 1980 (Supp. 80-1). Former Section R4-19-46 renumbered and amended as Section R4-19-405 effective February 21, 1986 (Supp. 86-1). Repealed effective July 19, 1995 (Supp. 95-3). New Section made by final rulemaking at 14 A.A.R. 4621, effective January 31, 2009 (Supp. 08-4).