2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 12 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-315-310) › HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-170-101 — 12-315-310) › Article 255 - NURSES AND NURSE AIDES (§§ 12-255-101 — 12-255-215) › Part 1 - NURSES AND NURSE AIDES (§§ 12-255-101 — 12-255-136) › Section 12-255-120 - Grounds for discipline - definitions

(1)
"Grounds for discipline", as used in this part 1, means any action by any person who:
(a)
Has procured or attempted to procure a license by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, misleading omission, or material misstatement of fact;
(b)
(I)
Has been convicted of a felony or any crime that would constitute a violation of this part 1.
(II)
(A)
For purposes of this subsection (1)(b), "convicted" includes entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or imposing a deferred sentence.
(B)
A certified copy of the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction of the conviction or plea shall be prima facie evidence of the conviction.
(c)
Has acted in a manner inconsistent with the health or safety of persons under his or her care;
(d)
Has had a license to practice nursing, practice as a certified midwife, or practice any other health-care occupation suspended or revoked in any jurisdiction. A certified copy of the order of suspension or revocation is prima facie evidence of the suspension or revocation.
(e)
Has violated or has aided or knowingly permitted any person to violate any provision of this part 1 or an applicable provision of article 20 or 30 of this title 12;
(f)
Has practiced nursing or as a certified midwife in a manner that fails to meet generally accepted standards for the practice of nursing or as a certified midwife, as applicable;
(g)
Has violated any order or rule of the board pertaining to nursing practice, practice as a certified midwife, or licensure;
(h)
Has falsified or in a negligent manner made incorrect entries or failed to make essential entries on patient records;
(i)
Excessively or habitually uses or abuses or has engaged in excessive or habitual use or abuse of alcohol, a habit-forming drug, a controlled substance, as defined in section
18-18-102 (5)
, or any other drug having similar effects; except that the board has the discretion not to discipline the licensee if the licensee is participating in good faith in a program approved by the board designed to end the excessive or habitual use or abuse;
(j)
Has failed to:
(I)
Notify the board, as required by section
12-30-108 (1)
, of a physical illness, physical condition, or behavioral health, mental health, or substance use disorder that affects the person's ability to practice nursing or as a certified midwife with reasonable skill and safety to patients or that may endanger the health or safety of individuals under the person's care;
(II)
Act within the limitations created by a physical illness, physical condition, or behavioral health, mental health, or substance use disorder that renders the person unable to practice nursing or as a certified midwife with reasonable skill and safety to patients or that may endanger the health or safety of individuals under the person's care; or
(III)
Comply with the limitations agreed to under a confidential agreement entered into pursuant to section
12-30-108
;
(k)
Has violated the confidentiality of information or knowledge as prescribed by law concerning any patient;
(l)
Has engaged in any conduct that would constitute a crime as defined in title 18 and that relates to the person's employment as a practical or professional nurse or as a certified midwife. In conjunction with any disciplinary proceeding pertaining to this subsection (1)(l), the board shall be governed by the provisions of sections
12-20-202 (5)
and
24-5-101
.
(m)
(I)
Has violated abuse of health insurance pursuant to section
18-13-119
; or
(II)
Has advertised through newspapers, magazines, circulars, direct mail, directories, radio, television, or otherwise that the licensee will perform any act prohibited by section
18-13-119 (3)
;
(n)
Has engaged in any of the following activities and practices:
(I)
Willful and repeated ordering or performance, without clinical justification, of demonstrably unnecessary laboratory tests or studies;
(II)
The administration, without clinical justification, of treatment that is demonstrably unnecessary;
(III)
The failure to obtain consultations or perform referrals when failing to do so is not consistent with the standard of care for the profession; or
(IV)
Ordering or performing, without clinical justification, any service, X ray, or treatment that is contrary to recognized standards of the practice of nursing or as a certified midwife as interpreted by the board;
(o)
Has committed a fraudulent insurance act, as defined in section
10-1-128
;
(p)
Has prescribed, distributed, or given to himself or herself or a family member any controlled substance as defined in part 2 of article
18
of title
18
or as contained in schedule II of
21 U.S.C. sec. 812
, except for medical marijuana lawfully recommended and obtained pursuant to the laws of the state of Colorado;
(q)
Has dispensed, injected, or prescribed an anabolic steroid, as defined in section
18-18-102 (3)
, for the purpose of hormonal manipulation that is intended to increase muscle mass, strength, or weight without a medical necessity to do so or for the intended purpose of improving performance in any form of exercise, sport, or game;
(r)
Has dispensed or injected an anabolic steroid, as defined in section
18-18-102 (3)
, unless the anabolic steroid is dispensed from a pharmacy pursuant to a written prescription or is dispensed by any person licensed to practice medicine in the course of the person's professional practice;
(s)
Has administered, dispensed, or prescribed any habit-forming drug or any controlled substance, as defined in section
18-18-102 (5)
, other than in the course of legitimate professional practice, which includes the recommendation, administration, or dispensation of medical marijuana;
(t)
Has been disciplined by another state, territory, or country based upon an act or omission that is defined substantially the same as a ground for discipline pursuant to this subsection (1);
(u)
Willfully fails to respond in a materially factual and timely manner to a complaint issued pursuant to section
12-255-119 (3)
;
(v)
Has failed to accurately complete and submit to the board the designated questionnaire upon renewal of a license pursuant to section
12-255-110 (3)
,
12-255-111.5 (4)
,
12-255-114 (3)
, or
12-255-115 (7)
;
(w)
(I)
Represents oneself to an individual or to the general public by use of any word or abbreviation to indicate or induce others to believe that he or she is a licensed practical or professional nurse unless the person is actually licensed as a practical nurse or professional nurse, respectively;
(II)
Uses the title "nurse", "registered nurse", "R.N.", "practical nurse", "trained practical nurse", "licensed vocational nurse", "licensed practical nurse", or "L.P.N." unless the person is licensed by the board as a professional or practical nurse, as applicable;
(III)
Represents oneself to an individual or to the general public by use of any word or abbreviation to indicate or induce others to believe that the person is a certified midwife unless the person is actually licensed as a certified midwife; or
(IV)
Uses the title "certified midwife" or the abbreviation "C.M." unless the person is licensed by the board as a certified midwife;
(x)
Practices as a practical or professional nurse or as a certified midwife during a period when the person's license has been suspended, revoked, or placed on inactive status pursuant to section
12-255-122
;
(y)
Sells or fraudulently obtains or furnishes a license to practice as a nurse or certified midwife or aids or abets in such act;
(z)
Has failed to report to the board, within thirty days after a final conviction, that the person has been convicted of a crime, as defined in title 18;
(aa)
Fails to maintain professional liability insurance in accordance with section
12-255-113
;
(bb)
Repealed.
(cc)
Engaged in a sexual act with a patient during the course of patient care or within six months immediately following the termination of the person's professional relationship with the patient. As used in this subsection (1)(cc), "sexual act" means sexual contact, sexual intrusion, or sexual penetration as defined in section
18-3-401
.
(dd)
Has failed to notify the board, in writing and within thirty days after a judgment or settlement is entered, of a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction against the licensee for malpractice of nursing or as a certified midwife or a settlement by the licensee in response to charges or allegations of malpractice of nursing or as a certified midwife and, in the case of a judgment, has failed to include in the notice the name of the court, the case number, and the names of all parties to the action;
(ee)
Fails to report to the board, within thirty days after an adverse action, that an adverse action has been taken against the person by another licensing agency in another state or jurisdiction; a peer review body; a health-care institution; a professional, nursing, or certified midwife society or association; a governmental agency; a law enforcement agency; or a court for acts or conduct that would constitute grounds for disciplinary or adverse action as described in this article 255;
(ff)
Fails to report to the board, within thirty days, the surrender of a license or other authorization to practice nursing or as a certified midwife in another state or jurisdiction or the surrender of membership on any nursing or certified midwife staff or in any nursing, certified midwife, or professional association or society while under investigation by any of those authorities or bodies for acts or conduct similar to acts or conduct that would constitute grounds for action as described in this article 255;
(gg)
Is diverting or has diverted a controlled substance, as defined in section
18-18-102 (5)
, or any other drug having similar effects from the person's place of employment; or
(hh)
Has been convicted of an offense under section
18-13-131
. For purposes of this subsection (1)(hh), "convicted" includes the entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or the imposition of a deferred sentence.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 261,§ 11, eff. 5/25/2023.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 96, § 3, eff. 9/7/2021.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 238, § 5, eff. 9/14/2020.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 190, § 5, eff. 7/1/2020.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 157, § 19, eff. 7/1/2020.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
12-38-117
and amended by 2019 Ch. 136, § 1, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 197, § 6, eff. 9/1/2015.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 78, § 4, eff. 4/3/2015.
Amended by 2013 Ch. 178, § 6, eff. 5/10/2013.
(1) This section is similar to former § 12-38-117 as it existed prior to 2019.
(2) Subsection (1)(bb) was amended in SB 20-1014, effective September 14, 2020. However, those amendments were superseded by the repeal of subsection (1)(bb) in HB 20-1216, effective July 1, 2020.
For the legislative declaration in HB 20-1216, see section 1 of chapter 190, Session Laws of Colorado 2020. For the legislative declaration in SB 21-056, see section 1 of chapter 96, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.