Fla. Stat. § 464.018 — Florida Code / Title XXXII / Chapter 464 / Part I / Section 464.018
464.018 Disciplinary actions.
Status: in_force

(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in ss. 456.072(2) and 464.0095: (a) Procuring, attempting to procure, or renewing a license to practice nursing or the authority to practice practical or professional nursing pursuant to s. 464.0095 by bribery, by knowing misrepresentations, or through an error of the department or the board. (b) Having a license to practice nursing revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against, including the denial of licensure, by the licensing authority of another state, territory, or country. (c) Being convicted or found guilty of, or entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction which directly relates to the practice of nursing or to the ability to practice nursing. (d) Being convicted or found guilty of, or entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, any of the following offenses: 1. A forcible felony as defined in chapter 776. 2. A violation of chapter 812, relating to theft, robbery, and related crimes. 3. A violation of chapter 817, relating to fraudulent practices. 4. A violation of chapter 800, relating to lewdness and indecent exposure. 5. A violation of chapter 784, relating to assault, battery, and culpable negligence. 6. A violation of chapter 827, relating to child abuse. 7. A violation of chapter 415, relating to protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. 8. A violation of chapter 39, relating to child abuse, abandonment, and neglect. 9. For an applicant for a multistate license or for a multistate licenseholder under s. 464.0095, a felony offense under Florida law or federal criminal law. (e) Having been found guilty of or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, regardless of adjudication, any offense prohibited under s. 435.04 or similar statute of another jurisdiction; or having committed an act which constitutes domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28. (f) Making or filing a false report or record, which the nurse knows to be false, intentionally or negligently failing to file a report or record required by state or federal law, willfully impeding or obstructing such filing or inducing another person to do so. Such reports or records shall include only those which are signed in the nurse’s capacity as a licensed nurse. (g) False, misleading, or deceptive advertising. (h) Unprofessional conduct, as defined by board rule. (i) Engaging or attempting to engage in the possession, sale, or distribution of controlled substances as set forth in chapter 893, for any other than legitimate purposes authorized by this part. (j) Being unable to practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness or use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, or chemicals or any other type of material or as a result of any mental or physical condition. In enforcing this paragraph, the department shall have, upon a finding of the State Surgeon General or the State Surgeon General’s designee that probable cause exists to believe that the nurse is unable to practice nursing because of the reasons stated in this paragraph, the authority to issue an order to compel a nurse to submit to a mental or physical examination by physicians designated by the department. If the nurse refuses to comply with such order, the department’s order directing such examination may be enforced by filing a petition for enforcement in the circuit court where the nurse resides or does business. The nurse against whom the petition is filed shall not be named or identified by initials in any public court records or documents, and the proceedings shall be closed to the public. The department shall be entitled to the summary procedure provided in s. 51.011. A nurse affected by this paragraph shall at reasonable intervals be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate that she or he can resume the competent practice of nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients. (k) Failing to report to the department any person who the nurse knows is in violation of this part or of the rules of the department or the board. However, a person who the licensee knows is unable to practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness or use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or any other type of material, or as a result of a mental or physical condition, may be reported to a consultant operating an impaired practitioner program as described in s. 456.076 rather than to the department. (l) Knowingly violating any provision of this part, a rule of the board or the department, or a lawful order of the board or department previously entered in a disciplinary proceeding or failing to comply with a lawfully issued subpoena of the department. (m) Failing to report to the department any licensee under chapter 458 or under chapter 459 who the nurse knows has violated the grounds for disciplinary action set out in the law under which that person is licensed and who provides health care services in a facility licensed under chapter 395, or a health maintenance organization certificated under part I of chapter 641, in which the nurse also provides services. (n) Failing to meet minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing nursing practice, including engaging in acts for which the nurse is not qualified by training or experience. (o) Violating any provision of this chapter or chapter 456, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto. (p) For an advanced practice registered nurse: 1. Presigning blank prescription forms. 2. Prescribing for office use any medicinal drug appearing on Schedule II in chapter 893. 3. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving a drug that is an amphetamine, a sympathomimetic amine drug, or a compound designated in s. 893.03(2) as a Schedule II controlled substance, to or for any person except for: a. The treatment of narcolepsy; hyperkinesis; behavioral syndrome in children characterized by the developmentally inappropriate symptoms of moderate to severe distractibility, short attention span, hyperactivity, emotional lability, and impulsivity; or drug-induced brain dysfunction. b. The differential diagnostic psychiatric evaluation of depression or the treatment of depression shown to be refractory to other therapeutic modalities. c. The clinical investigation of the effects of such drugs or compounds when an investigative protocol is submitted to, reviewed by, and approved by the department before such investigation is begun. 4. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving growth hormones, testosterone or its analogs, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), or other hormones for the purpose of muscle building or to enhance athletic performance. As used in this subparagraph, the term “muscle building” does not include the treatment of injured muscle. A prescription written for the drug products identified in this subparagraph may be dispensed by a pharmacist with the presumption that the prescription is for legitimate medical use. 5. Promoting or advertising on any prescription form a community pharmacy unless the form also states: “This prescription may be filled at any pharmacy of your choice.” 6. Prescribing, dispensing, administering, mixing, or otherwise preparing a legend drug, including a controlled substance, other than in the course of his or her professional practice. For the purposes of this subparagraph, it is legally presumed that prescribing, dispensing, administering, mixing, or otherwise preparing legend drugs, including all controlled substances, inappropriately or in excessive or inappropriate quantities is not in the best interest of the patient and is not in the course of the advanced practice registered nurse’s professional practice, without regard to his or her intent. 7. Prescribing, dispensing, or administering a medicinal drug appearing on any schedule set forth in chapter 893 to himself or herself, except a drug prescribed, dispensed, or administered to the advanced practice registered nurse by another practitioner authorized to prescribe, dispense, or administer medicinal drugs. 8. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving amygdalin (laetrile) to any person. 9. Dispensing a substance designated in s. 893.03(2) or (3) as a substance controlled in Schedule II or Schedule III, respectively, in violation of s. 465.0276. 10. Promoting or advertising through any communication medium the use, sale, or dispensing of a substance designated in s. 893.03 as a controlled substance. (q) For a psychiatric nurse: 1. Presigning blank prescription forms. 2. Prescribing for office use any medicinal drug appearing in Schedule II of s. 893.03. 3. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving a drug that is an amphetamine, a sympathomimetic amine drug, or a compound designated in s. 893.03(2) as a Schedule II controlled substance, to or for any person except for: a. The treatment of narcolepsy; hyperkinesis; behavioral syndrome in children characterized by the developmentally inappropriate symptoms of moderate to severe distractibility, short attention span, hyperactivity, emotional lability, and impulsivity; or drug-induced brain dysfunction. b. The differential diagnostic psychiatric evaluation of depression or the treatment of depression shown to be refractory to other therapeutic modalities. c. The clinical investigation of the effects of such drugs or compounds when an investigative protocol is submitted to, reviewed by, and approved by the department before such investigation is begun. 4. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving growth hormones, testosterone or its analogs, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), or other hormones for the purpose of muscle building or to enhance athletic performance. As used in this subparagraph, the term “muscle building” does not include the treatment of injured muscle. A prescription written for the drug products identified in this subparagraph may be dispensed by a pharmacist with the presumption that the prescription is for legitimate medical use. 5. Promoting or advertising on any prescription form a community pharmacy unless the form also states: “This prescription may be filled at any pharmacy of your choice.” 6. Prescribing, dispensing, administering, mixing, or otherwise preparing a legend drug, including a controlled substance, other than in the course of his or her professional practice. For the purposes of this subparagraph, it is legally presumed that prescribing, dispensing, administering, mixing, or otherwise preparing legend drugs, including all controlled substances, inappropriately or in excessive or inappropriate quantities is not in the best interest of the patient and is not in the course of the advanced practice registered nurse’s professional practice, without regard to his or her intent. 7. Prescribing, dispensing, or administering a medicinal drug appearing on any schedule set forth in chapter 893 to himself or herself, except a drug prescribed, dispensed, or administered to the psychiatric nurse by another practitioner authorized to prescribe, dispense, or administer medicinal drugs. 8. Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving amygdalin (laetrile) to any person. 9. Dispensing a substance designated in s. 893.03(2) or (3) as a substance controlled in Schedule II or Schedule III, respectively, in violation of s. 465.0276. 10. Promoting or advertising through any communication medium the use, sale, or dispensing of a substance designated in s. 893.03 as a controlled substance. (r) Delegating professional responsibilities to a person when the nurse delegating such responsibilities knows or has reason to know that such person is not qualified by training, experience, certification, or licensure to perform them. (s) For an advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123: 1. Paying or receiving any commission, bonus, kickback, or rebate from, or engaging in any split-fee arrangement in any form whatsoever with, a health care practitioner, organization, agency, or person, either directly or implicitly, for referring patients to providers of health care goods or services, including, but not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, clinical laboratories, ambulatory surgical centers, or pharmacies. This subparagraph may not be construed to prevent an advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123 from receiving a fee for professional consultation services. 2. Exercising influence within a patient-advanced practice registered nurse relationship for purposes of engaging a patient in sexual activity. A patient shall be presumed to be incapable of giving free, full, and informed consent to sexual activity with his or her advanced practice registered nurse registered under s. 464.0123. 3. Making deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in or related to, or employing a trick or scheme in or related to, advanced or specialized nursing practice. 4. Soliciting patients, either personally or through an agent, by the use of fraud, intimidation, undue influence, or a form of overreaching or vexatious conduct. As used in this subparagraph, the term “soliciting” means directly or implicitly requesting an immediate oral response from the recipient. 5. Failing to keep legible, as defined by department rule in consultation with the board, medical records that identify the advanced practice registered nurse, by name and professional title, who is responsible for rendering, ordering, supervising, or billing for each diagnostic or treatment procedure and that justify the course of treatment of the patient, including, but not limited to, patient histories; examination results; test results; records of drugs prescribed, dispensed, or administered; and reports of consultations or referrals. 6. Exercising influence on the patient to exploit the patient for the financial gain of the advanced practice registered nurse or a third party, including, but not limited to, the promoting or selling of services, goods, appliances, or drugs. 7. Performing professional services that have not been duly authorized by the patient or his or her legal representative, except as provided in s. 766.103 or s. 768.13. 8. Performing any procedure or prescribing any therapy that, by the prevailing standards of advanced or specialized nursing practice in the community, would constitute experimentation on a human subject, without first obtaining full, informed, and written consent. 9. Delegating professional responsibilities to a person when the advanced practice registered nurse delegating such responsibilities knows or has reason to believe that such person is not qualified by training, experience, or licensure to perform such responsibilities. 10. Committing, or conspiring with another to commit, an act that would tend to coerce, intimidate, or preclude another advanced practice registered nurse from lawfully advertising his or her services. 11. Advertising or holding himself or herself out as having certification in a specialty that he or she has not received. 12. Failing to comply with ss. 381.026 and 381.0261 relating to providing patients with information about their rights and how to file a complaint. 13. Providing deceptive or fraudulent expert witness testimony related to advanced or specialized nursing practice.

(2)(a) The board may enter an order denying licensure or imposing any of the penalties in s. 456.072(2) against any applicant for licensure or nurse who is found guilty of violating subsection (1) or s. 456.072(1). (b) The board may take adverse action against a nurse’s multistate licensure privilege and impose any of the penalties in s. 456.072(2) when the nurse is found guilty of violating subsection (1) or s. 456.072(1).

(3) The board shall not reinstate the license of a nurse, or cause a license to be issued to a person it has deemed unqualified, until such time as it is satisfied that such person has complied with all the terms and conditions set forth in the final order and that such person is capable of safely engaging in the practice of nursing.

(4) The board shall not reinstate the license of a nurse who has been found guilty by the board on three separate occasions of violations of this part relating to the use of drugs or narcotics, which offenses involved the diversion of drugs or narcotics from patients to personal use or sale.

(5) The board shall by rule establish guidelines for the disposition of disciplinary cases involving specific types of violations. Such guidelines may include minimum and maximum fines, periods of supervision or probation, or conditions of probation or reissuance of a license.

History: ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-225; s. 321, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 1, ch. 83-27; s. 27, ch. 83-329; ss. 14, 17, 18, ch. 86-284; s. 40, ch. 88-1; s. 13, ch. 88-219; s. 19, ch. 88-277; s. 19, ch. 88-392; s. 3, ch. 89-170; s. 33, ch. 91-57; s. 58, ch. 91-137; s. 5, ch. 91-156; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 44, ch. 92-149; s. 24, ch. 94-134; s. 24, ch. 94-135; s. 20, ch. 95-152; s. 48, ch. 95-228; s. 136, ch. 95-418; s. 10, ch. 96-274; s. 1106, ch. 97-103; s. 83, ch. 97-264; s. 155, ch. 98-403; s. 2, ch. 99-335; s. 125, ch. 2000-318; s. 103, ch. 2000-349; s. 31, ch. 2001-277; s. 6, ch. 2002-230; s. 30, ch. 2004-267; s. 9, ch. 2005-240; s. 83, ch. 2008-6; s. 51, ch. 2010-114; s. 10, ch. 2016-139; s. 15, ch. 2016-224; s. 8, ch. 2016-231; s. 14, ch. 2017-41; s. 61, ch. 2018-106; ss. 13, 26, ch. 2020-9; s. 11, ch. 2022-71.