Section 43-26-52. (For effective date, see note.) Institutional reporting requirements; voluntary submission to alternative to discipline program not subject to reporting requirement

   (a) Hospitals, nursing homes, temporary staffing agencies, and other employers of registered professional nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, or licensed practical nurses shall report to the applicable board, or ensure that such report has in fact been made to such board, the name of any nurse whose employment has been terminated or who has resigned in order to avoid termination for any reasons stipulated in Code Section 43-26-53.

(b) A state agency that licenses, registers, or certifies hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, or other types of health care facilities, or surveys one of these facilities or agencies, shall report to the applicable board when such state agency has evidence that a nurse has violated Code Section 43-26-53 or ensure that such a report has in fact been made to such board.

(c) In the event a nurse enters a voluntary alternative to discipline program approved by the board, reporting to the applicable board shall not be required for such nurse by a person under this Code section. Each board may approve alternative to discipline programs for monitoring of nurses who agree to seek treatment for impairment by chemical dependency or mental illness that could lead to disciplinary action by such board. The costs for any treatment programs shall be borne by the nurse.

(d) Each board shall inform, in the manner such board determines appropriate, nurses, facilities, agencies, and other persons of their duty to report under this article.

Code 1981, § 43-26-52, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 830, § 4/HB 315.