Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
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Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
A complaint is not a finding. Board complaints move through a published arc: an intake review that closes many complaints outright, an investigation where the board gathers records and statements, and a resolution that is commonly closure or dismissal, sometimes an agreed settlement, and only occasionally a formal hearing. The process usually takes months, and a pending complaint is generally not public.
Pick your state to see how its board actually handles a complaint, from intake to resolution, with the published timeline where the board gives one.
The board first decides whether it CAN act: is the subject a licensee, and would the allegation, if true, violate the nurse practice act? Complaints about rudeness, billing, or matters outside the act commonly close here without the nurse ever being investigated.
If the complaint advances, the board notifies the nurse (timing varies by state), gathers records, and may request a written response or interview. Investigations run months; NCSBN describes a few weeks to over a year depending on complexity. The nurse usually keeps practicing during this stage unless the board seeks an emergency action.
Three broad endings: dismissal or closure with no action; a negotiated agreed/consent order with terms; or, in the minority of cases, a formal administrative hearing. Only final actions become public discipline on your record and in Nursys.
Framework per NCSBN's discipline resources; each board runs its own version, published at the links below.
What this page is, and is not. This page describes what boards do, sourced from what they publish. It is not legal advice and deliberately says nothing about how to respond to allegations. Nurses facing a complaint commonly consult a license-defense attorney, and many malpractice policies include license-defense coverage worth checking before you ever need it.
Every board publishes its complaint process; few publish timelines. Where we have verified a board's published process facts (51 states so far), the row says so; every row links the board itself, which is always the authoritative source.
| State | Board | Published process |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN) receives a written complaint alleging a Nurse Practice Act violation, mails the nurse a notice of investigation, and Special Investigators gather records and information (including SJIS, NURSYS, and internet searches) while giving the nurse an opportunity to respond; a Board attorney then decides whether evidence substantiates a violation, leading either to dismissal (no public record), a Consent Order with disciplinary action, or an Administrative Hearing if the nurse requests one or refuses to participate. The ABN publishes a target, not a guarantee: "Resolution of complaint investigations within six months is a key performance measure," though it notes the process may be lengthened by factors like locating witnesses, subpoena delays, lack of cooperation, or subsequent complaints. |
| Alaska | Alaska Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Alaska Board of Nursing's complaint process is administered by its regulating division (CBPL): a complaint is filed with the division's Investigations Unit, an investigator reviews it for jurisdiction and evidence and either closes it or opens a formal investigation, a licensed reviewing board member (or panel) evaluates whether the evidence would support discipline, and the full board then deliberates and either adopts a consent agreement or, if no agreement is reached, refers the case to an Administrative Law Judge hearing before issuing a final board decision. The board publishes no complaint-to-resolution timeline. The only stage timeframe it discloses is internal: "Investigators typically ask for a case to be reviewed within 30 days" by the reviewing board member. Separately, the Board of Nursing's contacts page notes a 4-6 week estimate for licensing application status updates and a 3-4 business day response window for general inquiries, but neither applies to complaint/discipline cases specifically. |
| Arizona | Arizona State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedWhen a complaint or self-report is received, the Board first reviews it for jurisdiction, then assigns an investigator and case number; notification letters go to the complainant and the respondent, who must respond in writing. The investigator compiles an investigative report presented at an open public board meeting, where the Board determines whether probable evidence of a Nurse Practice Act violation exists and votes on action. Discipline becomes final once the person signs a Consent Agreement or, if not signed, has had the opportunity for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge at the Office of Administrative Hearings. The Board publishes that investigations currently take an average of seven months to complete, depending on complexity and seriousness, with some high-risk or high-harm cases completed in one month or less. |
| Arkansas | Arkansas State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint (a detailed written description of alleged Nurse Practice Act violations, filable online or in writing, including anonymously) is reviewed by ASBN staff to confirm it names a licensed nurse and an alleged violation, then assigned to an investigator who gathers documents and interviews witnesses. Once the investigation is complete, the case resolves through one of several paths: dismissal, a non-disciplinary letter of warning, a letter of reprimand, a consent agreement, or a formal hearing before the Board, with the licensee able to appeal any Board decision to circuit court within 30 days. The board does not publish a stage-by-stage duration timeline (no stated number of days/weeks for intake, investigation, or hearing). The one timeframe it does publish is the appeal window: a licensee may appeal a Board decision to circuit court within 30 days of the decision. |
| California | California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) | Board-sourcedComplaint intake through BreEZe or mail, investigation by the board or the Department of Consumer Affairs, then informal or formal proceedings when violations are substantiated, resolved by settlement or hearing. The board commits only to acknowledging complaints within 10 days of receipt; it publishes no stage timelines and describes the overall process as extended depending on complexity. |
| Colorado | Colorado Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint is filed with the Division of Professions and Occupations online or by paper and is reviewed to determine whether a probable violation occurred; if so it is resolved by the Board or Program or referred for further investigation (including to the Office of Investigations), and for nursing licensees specifically the Board sends the nurse a letter with the allegations, the nurse submits a written response by a stated due date, and the case is then prepared for review by Board members at the next available monthly meeting. Possible outcomes include dismissal, a Letter of Admonition, referral to the Office of Expedited Settlement, probation, continuing education, a fine, suspension, revocation, or referral to the Attorney General for legal action. The board publishes only a partial timeline: the Division states the initial intake process may take up to 10 days before a complainant receives confirmation of receipt, after which an acknowledgment letter with a case number is sent. Beyond that, the Board of Nursing's own FAQ page does not publish a stage-by-stage timeline for investigation or resolution, only that the case is reviewed at "the next available monthly meeting" after the nurse's response is due. |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing | Board-sourcedConnecticut's Department of Public Health (which houses the Public Health Hearing Office and Board of Examiners for Nursing) says a complaint against a nurse is submitted to its Practitioner Investigations Unit, which acknowledges receipt in writing and opens an investigation if the allegations fall within the Department's jurisdiction. If the investigation substantiates the complaint, the Department's resulting action is administrative in nature, such as reprimand, restriction of practice, or remedial education. The FAQ page itself states no timeframe for how long an investigation or resolution takes. A companion DPH page ("Reporting a Complaint," portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/plis/reporting-a-complaint) does publish one discrete timeline: a written acknowledgment letter is sent within two weeks of the Practitioner Investigations Unit receiving the complaint. Beyond that acknowledgment window, the board/department publishes no stage timeline for investigation length or final resolution. |
| Delaware | Delaware Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedDelaware's Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), the state agency housing the Board of Nursing, processes nurse complaints through its shared Investigative Unit: a complaint is filed online via DELPROS naming a complainant and a respondent, DPR acknowledges receipt and forwards the complaint to the respondent (who has 20 calendar days to answer), and DPR investigates and updates the complainant on progress until the matter is resolved. DPR sends acknowledgment (to both complainant and respondent) within 15 days of receiving the complaint, the respondent has 20 calendar days to file an answer, and DPR advises the complainant of the complaint's progress at least every 90 days until it is resolved. The Board of Nursing's own FAQ and complaint pages do not publish a separate stage-by-stage timeline; they route to this shared DPR Investigative Unit process. |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe DC Health Regulation and Licensing Administration (HRLA) investigates complaints on behalf of the Health Occupations Boards, which receive the complaint and may take disciplinary action if the conduct is grounds for discipline; the Board may instead resolve the matter informally if there is no actual violation, and disciplinary actions may include reprimand, probation, monetary fine, suspension, or revocation of licensure. The Board publishes no stage timelines; it states only that investigation and resolution of complaints take varying amounts of time. |
| Florida | Florida Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedComplaints are reviewed for practice-act violations, investigated with a probable-cause determination by Prosecution Services, and resolved by board disciplinary action where warranted; cases without probable cause stay confidential. No stage timelines are published; a case becomes public 10 days after an administrative complaint is filed, and a six-year statute of limitations applies to filing. |
| Georgia | Georgia Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Georgia Board of Nursing operates under the Secretary of State's Licensing Division. A written complaint with the nurse's name and license number is submitted online and acknowledged on receipt, then referred to Investigations where a board investigator may review it. If a violation is found, the board may resolve the matter by a private or public consent order, or, when the licensee will not voluntarily enter a consent agreement, hold a formal Administrative Hearing before an administrative law judge under the Georgia Administrative Procedures Act. The board does not publish a per-stage clock; it states investigations are completed as soon as possible depending upon the nature and circumstances of the complaint, and that the disciplinary procedure is lengthy and may take months to complete. |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedComplaints against Hawaii nurses are handled by the state's Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO), part of DCCA: intake/screening by the Consumer Resource Center for jurisdiction and appropriateness, field investigation by the Field Investigations Section to gather evidence, and legal review by the Legal Section, which decides whether to pursue formal enforcement action such as discipline, a citation, or closure without action. The page states there is no average processing time: "Case processing can range from a few months to a year or even longer, depending on factors such as the seriousness of a matter, the complexity of the issues, the depth of investigation required, and whether the matter can be resolved informally through settlement." It adds that a contested case proceeding or lawsuit can require even more time. |
| Idaho | Idaho Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), which serves the Board of Nursing, describes a complaint moving through intake and jurisdiction screening, investigation by a neutral investigator who gathers evidence and interviews, and then a results stage where the case is either closed for lack of clear and convincing evidence or referred for formal prosecution via an Administrative Complaint. From there, a licensee may settle through a Stipulation and Consent Order or proceed to an evidentiary hearing before an independent Hearing Officer, whose Recommended Order the Board reviews before issuing a Final Order with appeal rights. The board publishes no fixed stage timeline; it states the length of an investigation "can vary widely depending on a variety of factors such as the complexity of the case, the responsiveness of you and other witnesses, the need for a professional review, and the meeting schedule of the Board." |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) | Board-sourcedThe Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), begins the disciplinary process when it becomes aware of a complaint against a licensee. After initial review, complaints are assigned to a lead investigator who determines whether DPR has legal jurisdiction and adequate evidence to proceed. Complete investigations with sufficient evidence of a violation are forwarded to DPR's prosecuting attorneys for review, and if the matter has been sufficiently investigated and supports the complaint, formal charges are filed. DPR and the licensee may enter into a negotiated agreement on the level of discipline, or the matter proceeds to a formal disciplinary hearing before the professional board or committee, which delivers its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Director of Professional Regulation. The board publishes no per-stage timeline for intake, investigation, or prosecution. The only timeframe stated is after the Director's final decision: a licensee has 35 days to make an appeal in circuit court. |
| Indiana | Indiana State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint against a nurse is filed with the Indiana Attorney General, and Licensing Enforcement within the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency reviews and investigates it. If the Attorney General finds the complaint has merit, the AG brings it to the Indiana State Board of Nursing, which holds a disciplinary hearing before the board or an administrative law judge and determines the outcome and any sanctions. The agency publishes no stage-by-stage timeline, but states that investigations can take up to twelve (12) months depending on the allegations. |
| Iowa | Iowa Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint is filed (online Nurse Complaint Form or a paper form) and screened against the Board's rules; if it appears to violate the rules the Board investigates, and the findings are taken before the Board, which may close the matter or move to discipline by scheduling a hearing and giving the nurse legal notice. An informal settlement agreement may be proposed before the hearing to avoid formal proceedings; otherwise a nurse named in a Statement of Charges may retain counsel or self-represent, and the Board may impose sanctions as the disposition in a contested case. The Board publishes no stage timelines; it states only that the complaint process can be lengthy and asks for patience because Iowa Administrative Code gives the licensee due process. |
| Kansas | Kansas State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) receives complaints (most often from employers via peer review under the Risk Management Act, or from patients, courts, law enforcement, or other agencies), assigns the case to a licensed-nurse investigator who gathers records and interviews witnesses and the licensee, and then an Investigative Committee of three Board Members reviews the file at a Board meeting to decide the outcome, which can range from inactivation of the complaint to a formal hearing, probation agreements, required continuing education, or referral to the impaired provider program. The board publishes a general timeframe rather than a fixed deadline: "As a rule the process will be completed within 6 to 9 months," with delays possible from late reports, difficulty locating witnesses, or uncooperative parties. |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) receives a complaint and, if it establishes a colorable violation, sends the licensee a Notice of Complaint requiring a written response within 30 days while staff investigate confidentially; the case then resolves as Closed, a Letter of Concern, a Consent Decree, or an Agreed Order, or, if no resolution is reached, proceeds to a formal administrative hearing before a Hearing Panel that issues a Recommended Order, which the full Board ratifies into a Final Order subject to appeal to Jefferson Circuit Court. The board publishes several specific sub-timelines rather than one overall complaint-to-resolution timeframe: the licensee must respond to a complaint within 30 days; an emergency hearing on an Immediate Temporary Suspension is held within 10 business days of the request; the Hearing Panel issues a Recommended Order within 60 days of receiving the hearing transcript (90 days if an extension is granted); parties have 15 days to file exceptions to a Recommended Order; the Board has 90 days after receiving the Recommended Order to issue a Final Order; and an appeal must be filed within 30 days of the Final Order. No overall timeframe for how long an investigation itself will take is published. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Louisiana State Board of Nursing reviews every complaint for jurisdiction and a potential Nurse Practice Act violation, then an investigator gathers evidence and sends the nurse a Demand Letter outlining the allegations; if the case warrants action it moves to the Hearings Department, which resolves it most often through a Consent Order (a voluntary agreement accepted by the Board) or, if that is not accepted, through formal charges and a board hearing. The board does not publish an overall complaint-to-resolution timeline. The one timing rule it does publish is procedural: formal charges and notice of a hearing date must be sent to the nurse's address of record by proper service at least 20 days before the hearing. |
| Maine | Maine State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint against a Maine licensed nurse is submitted in writing to the Board, acknowledged by the Board's Complaint Coordinator, and reviewed for jurisdiction before the Board investigates by sending a copy of the complaint to the nurse for a written response. When the investigation is complete, the Board reviews the file at its next meeting and may dismiss the complaint, request further investigation, issue a non-disciplinary Letter of Concern, order an Informal Conference, or order a public Adjudicatory Hearing where cause for discipline may exist. The board publishes no stage timeline (no number of days or weeks for intake, investigation, or review is given anywhere on the page). |
| Maryland | Maryland Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint is submitted to the Board (the Board does not accept anonymous complaints), and once received an investigator is assigned; the Board notifies the complainant when it reaches a final decision. Matters the Board acts on result in public orders, which the Board posts on its website and treats as public records. The Board publishes only one general duration: a final decision may take up to a year or longer. It publishes no per-stage timelines. |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing | Board-sourcedAfter a written complaint is received and processed by the Board's Office of Public Protection, Board staff review it and check that it falls within the Board's jurisdiction. If it does, the Office of Public Protection notifies the complainant and an investigation begins, which may include interviews with the complainant, the nurse, and others, plus on-site visits to health care facilities to review records. The Board resolves matters by negotiating consent agreements with licensees or, where contested, through an adjudicatory hearing, and may sanction a license where there is evidence of a violation that poses a risk to the public. The Massachusetts Board does not publish a stage-by-stage timeline or estimated timeframe for how long a complaint investigation takes; its public process pages describe the sequence of stages but state no deadlines or duration. |
| Michigan | Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA) | Board-sourcedMichigan's Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) Complaint Intake Section reviews the allegation for a possible Public Health Code violation and either authorizes an investigation or closes the case. If investigated, staff interview the complainant, the licensee, and other witnesses and collect evidence; the investigator then recommends closure, expert review, or drafting a formal administrative complaint (the charging document). After an administrative complaint is served, a compliance conference is held to negotiate a settlement, which the disciplinary subcommittee (DSC) must approve; if no settlement is reached the matter proceeds to an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge, whose Proposal for Decision the DSC reviews to impose sanctions or dismiss. Michigan publishes no overall duration for resolving a complaint. The only board-published time limit is that once an administrative complaint is served, the licensee or registrant has 30 days in which to respond in writing or the matter will result in automatic sanctions. |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Minnesota Board of Nursing reviews written complaints to determine if they allege a Nurse Practice Act violation, then investigates (often itself, sometimes referring fraud or sexual-impropriety allegations to the Attorney General's Office), may hold a Review Panel conference with the nurse, and resolves the matter by dismissal, a non-disciplinary Agreement for Corrective Action, an agreed disciplinary action, or a contested case hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The board publishes a timeline: if review is not finished within 120 days the complainant receives a status update, and the board states most complaints are resolved in six months or less, though the full investigation and resolution process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months or up to a year. |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Mississippi Board of Nursing's Investigations Division reviews each complaint to determine jurisdiction and evidentiary sufficiency, then investigates through interviews, records review, and subpoenaed documents, giving the alleged violator an opportunity to respond. Board staff then decides to close the case, resolve it through informal proceedings, or file formal charges and proceed to a formal hearing. The board publishes no stage timeline; its investigation-information page describes the intake-to-hearing steps but gives no duration estimates for any stage. |
| Missouri | Missouri State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe State Board of Nursing receives and processes each written complaint that contains sufficient information to investigate and alleges conduct that would violate the Nursing Practice Act (Chapter 335, RSMo). Each complaint is logged in a closed board database, investigated, and disposed of either by dismissal by the board or by informal charges filed with the Administrative Hearing Commission. Where the board pursues discipline, it causes a complaint to be filed with the Commission under chapter 621, and only after the Commission finds that grounds exist may the board impose a sanction. The board publishes no timeline for receiving, investigating, or resolving a complaint. The only durations set in statute are post-filing hearing deadlines at the Administrative Hearing Commission: a hearing within 45 days of the board's filing, and in any event within 120 days (RSMo 335.066). |
| Montana | Montana Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedMontana's Business Standards Division reviews a filed complaint to see if it falls under a board's legal authority, then investigates covered complaints through written responses, witness interviews, and document collection. A department attorney then brings the investigation to a "screening panel" of board members, which either dismisses the case or finds reasonable cause and issues a Notice of Proposed Board Action, after which the licensee may sign a stipulated agreement or request a contested hearing that ends in a final order from a separate "adjudication panel." The board publishes a general, non-specific timeline: "Depending on the current caseload and the nature and complexity of a case, the review and investigation may take several months or longer to complete," and separately notes a contested hearing process "may take several months to complete." No fixed day/week deadlines are published for any stage. |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedNebraska DHHS first reviews a complaint against a nurse to determine if "legal sufficiency exists to conduct an investigation," then investigates, and once the investigation is complete the investigator prepares a report for the professional board, which reviews it and recommends a course of action to the Nebraska Attorney General's office (which can pursue a discipline petition, voluntary surrender, or a compliance agreement). The board publishes no specific stage-by-stage timeline. Its investigations page states only that "a thorough and complete investigation by the Department will take considerable time and effort," without giving day or month estimates for review, investigation, or resolution. |
| Nevada | Nevada State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Nevada State Board of Nursing reviews a written, signed complaint for sufficiency, opens and assigns it to one of its investigators if warranted, who gathers documents and interviews witnesses before presenting the evidence for internal review; the case then resolves by the complaint being closed or dismissed, by a settlement agreement, or by a formal hearing before the Board that can result in discipline ranging from reprimand to license revocation. The board does not publish an overall timeline for how long a complaint or investigation takes (it notes investigators each handle about 100 active cases at a time), but it does state that notice of a formal hearing's date and approximate time is sent at least 20 calendar days before the scheduled hearing. |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe New Hampshire Board of Nursing's complaints are handled through OPLC's published six-step process: intake review to screen for possible professional misconduct, a preliminary investigation (licensee response, complainant interview, subpoenaed documents), case review by the investigations team, a full investigation producing a written Report of Investigation, Board determination (dismiss, dismiss with a letter of concern, or docket for hearing), and, if adjudicated, either settlement discussions or a public disciplinary hearing ending in dismissal or a sanction such as a fine, reprimand, suspension, or revocation. The board publishes no numeric day/week timeline for how long a complaint takes; the Enforcement Complaint Process page describes the flow only as an ordered sequence of steps ("PROCEED TO STEP X"), with no stated durations for intake, investigation, or hearing scheduling. Absence of a published timeline is itself the sourced fact. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedIn New Jersey, the Division of Consumer Affairs reviews a complaint for jurisdiction; in most cases a copy is sent to the licensee for a written response, and not every complaint warrants investigation. For sexual misconduct or similarly egregious allegations the complaint is not sent to the licensee and a DCA Enforcement Bureau investigator is assigned instead. The complaint, the licensee's response, and any investigation report are then presented to the Board of Nursing for review and determination at its next board meeting, in closed executive session, with the legal advice of a Deputy Attorney General. The board may request more information, expand the investigation, refer the matter elsewhere, close it with a finding of no basis for discipline, or pursue disciplinary action such as a civil penalty, additional continuing education, a reprimand, license restriction or suspension, or revocation or surrender of license. New Jersey publishes no fixed stage timeline. The board states the amount of time to reach a final decision depends on many factors, and that requesting additional information, expanding the investigation, referring for additional legal analysis, or pursuing disciplinary action may prolong the time it takes to resolve the matter. |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint is filed through the Board's online portal and reviewed to see if it alleges a possible violation of the Nursing Practice Act; the matter is then assigned to a Registered Nurse Investigator who gathers records, policies, and witness statements while the licensee must submit a written response, after which the Board reviews the investigative report and decides whether to close the complaint, offer resolution, or proceed to a formal hearing where the Board deliberates and issues a written decision. The Board publishes a general range rather than a fixed deadline: investigations may take several weeks to several months to complete, depending on investigator caseload, case complexity, volume of documentation, and the need to obtain records from outside entities, and the Board states it may not always be able to give a specific completion date. |
| New York | New York State Education Department (NYSED) | Board-sourcedThe NYS Education Department Office of the Professions investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct for nurses through its Office of Professional Discipline (OPD). A written complaint is logged and reviewed by a regional Supervising Investigator who either opens a case or closes it for lack of jurisdiction or proof. A Senior Investigator gathers facts and interviews witnesses, then a three-way screening by the Senior Investigator, a Prosecuting Attorney, and a NYS Board Member decides whether to proceed. Approved cases transfer to the Prosecutions Division, where many conclude through negotiated settlements, and the Board of Regents is responsible for the final disposition of all disciplinary matters. The Office of Professional Discipline states that almost all investigations are completed within 9 months or less, while complicated cases may take 2 years or more from initial complaint to final action. |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedWhen the North Carolina Board of Nursing receives a complaint, staff first determine whether the Board has jurisdiction and whether the allegations violate the Nursing Practice Act or Administrative Code Rules. Affirmed complaints are assigned to an investigator who notifies the nurse and collects evidence through witness interviews and document reviews; the nurse may respond by interview and written statement. Resolution falls on a continuum from No Action (dismissal), Letter of Concern, and Non-Disciplinary Consent Order, to a Published Consent Order (public discipline). A licensee may request a Settlement Committee meeting or have the matter referred for a formal public Administrative Hearing. The Board publishes no fixed timeline; it states the process may vary depending upon the seriousness of the allegations, and that investigations may take weeks to months depending upon complexity, the ability to locate witnesses, and record-request response times. |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint (request for investigation) received by the North Dakota Board of Nursing office is first reviewed for jurisdiction and whether the alleged facts violate the Nurse Practices Act; if so, an investigation is opened. Based on the evidence, the case is then either dismissed for insufficient evidence, resolved through a negotiated settlement with the licensee, or referred to a formal administrative hearing if the licensee contests the charges, with the Board taking final action on the administrative law judge's recommended order. The board publishes no stage timeline (no specific number of days or weeks for intake, investigation, or hearing scheduling is given on the page). |
| Ohio | Ohio Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) reviews complaints, which anyone aware of conduct that may violate the Nurse Practice Act can file. The first step is determining whether the OBN has jurisdiction, then a case type is assigned. The OBN assigns the case to an investigator, who reviews the complaint, may request written responses or an in-person interview, and may perform a site visit. Following a comprehensive investigation, the OBN may take disciplinary action if it finds sufficient evidence of a violation. A case may be resolved with a Consent Agreement prior to or in lieu of a hearing, or proceed to a hearing where an Ohio Assistant Attorney General presents the case to a Hearing Examiner or Board Hearing Committee, after which a report and recommendation is provided to the Board. The board publishes an average duration: investigations take the OBN seven months on average from the time it receives a complaint to finish, and can be longer or shorter depending on the complexity and seriousness of the alleged conduct. |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Oklahoma Board of Nursing's Investigative Division receives complaints (submitted online, or by phone, mail, or fax) alleging violations of the Nursing Practice Act, investigates them on a priority basis through objective fact finding, and presents evidence at Board hearings, after which the Division monitors compliance with Board Orders and reports Board actions to federal databanks. The board publishes no stage timeline; it describes a priority system based on the seriousness of allegations rather than fixed processing days or deadlines. |
| Oregon | Oregon State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) moves a complaint through four stages in its own published structure: intake of the complaint (which may be filed anonymously), an investigation and interview phase where an assigned investigator gathers documentation and meets with the licensee, review at a regular Board meeting where the Board decides whether a Nurse Practice Act violation occurred, and then resolution either through dismissal, the Health Professionals' Services Program, or a disciplinary action subject to due process (Notice, possible contested case hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, and a Final Order). The board publishes no timeline for how long intake, investigation, or the interview phase takes. The only schedule it publishes is that the Board itself meets six times a year, in February, April, June, August, and October, and December, when case decisions are made. |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (BPOA) | Board-sourcedThe Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) handles nurse complaints through its Legal Office. The Professional Compliance Office, within the Prosecution Division, reviews complaints to determine whether the alleged conduct may violate governing laws and whether a board has jurisdiction. Cases are often investigated by the Department's Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation (BEI), whose investigators interview witnesses and obtain documentary evidence for the Prosecution Division. Matters can resolve through a negotiated Consent Agreement and Order or through formal adjudication, and any settlement must be approved by the applicable licensing board or commission. The Department of State publishes no fixed stage timeline, stating only that investigations take varying lengths of time depending on complexity. |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education | Board-sourcedThe Rhode Island Department of Health's Complaint Unit intakes complaints against nurses and other licensees, notifies the named licensee and lets them respond, investigates (including possible subpoena of records and complainant testimony), and resolves the matter through one of three paths: no action and a closed complaint, a letter of concern to the licensee, or a recommendation for discipline that the licensee can accept or contest at an administrative hearing. The board does not publish a fixed stage-by-stage timeline; it states only that "Investigations may take several months, particularly if medical records or other information need to be subpoenaed." |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedA complaint analyst in LLR's Office of Investigation and Enforcement first reviews the complaint to determine jurisdiction, and if it alleges a violation the case is assigned to an investigator who notifies the respondent and investigates (onsite inspection, subpoenas, interviews). The investigation is then reviewed at an Investigation Review Conference (IRC), which recommends to the Board of Nursing that it dismiss the matter, issue a non-disciplinary letter of caution, or issue a formal complaint; a formal complaint can be resolved by a consent agreement or a contested-case hearing before the Board, ending in a final order. LLR publishes concrete intervals: the investigator notifies the respondent in writing within 30 days of the case being assigned for investigation; investigations are "generally complete within 180 business days"; and a respondent has 30 days to appeal an adverse Board order to the Administrative Law Court. |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe South Dakota Board of Nursing accepts complaints from anyone who believes a nurse or registrant committed a violation, then investigates whether the conduct violated SDCL 36-9-49, SDCL 36-9A-29, or ARSD 20:48:16:04. If proven, the Board can resolve the matter through non-disciplinary means (dismissal, a Letter of Concern, or referral to the Health Professionals Assistance Program) or disciplinary action (Letter of Reprimand, Probation, Denial of Licensure or Registration, Suspension, or Revocation). The Board's complaint and disciplinary process page does not publish a specific timeline (e.g., number of days or weeks) for how long intake, investigation, or resolution takes. |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedComplaints received by the Department of Health Office of Investigations are reviewed within three business days, then reviewed by the Board's Consultant and the assigned Board attorney, who assess whether the collected evidence (witness statements, medical records, business records) supports a finding of one or more statutory or rule violations. If no violation is found, the complainant is notified in writing. If a violation is found, the matter is resolved either by an informal letter of correction issued by the Board's Consultant, or by referral to the legal office for consideration of formal disciplinary charges. The Board publishes one explicit timeframe: all complaints received within the Office of Investigations are reviewed within three (3) business days. It does not publish a timeline for the later investigation or resolution stages. |
| Texas | Texas Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedComplaint intake (the complainant's identity stays confidential), investigation, a violations determination, then resolution by informal settlement with agreed orders or formal charges heard by an administrative law judge, with the board ratifying final orders. The board publishes that an investigation typically takes 5 to 12 months to complete, depending on the circumstances. |
| Utah | Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedDOPL enters every complaint into an investigative database, and a DOPL Investigation Supervisor reviews it and makes one of three determinations: no violation (complaint closed, no action taken), lack of jurisdiction (may be referred to another agency), or meets criteria for investigation (assigned to an investigator). Investigated cases then resolve either informally (verbal warning, letter of concern, administrative citation, or informal adjudicative proceeding before an Administrative Law Judge) or formally (a stipulated agreement or a formal adjudicative hearing). DOPL's enforcement pages do not publish a specific timeline (no stated number of days, weeks, or months) for how long complaint review or investigation takes; the pages describe the stages and possible outcomes but give no time estimate for completing them. |
| Vermont | Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation | Board-sourcedVermont's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), which houses the Board of Nursing's Enforcement Division, moves a complaint through screening for jurisdiction and actionability, assignment to an investigator who gathers records and interviews witnesses and notifies the licensee (Respondent), review by an Investigative Team and prosecuting attorney who decide to close the case or file a Specification of Charges, and then resolution either by a stipulated agreement or a contested hearing before the Board or an Administrative Law Officer, which can result in sanctions such as warning, reprimand, fine, suspension, or revocation. OPR does not publish an overall day-to-week-to-month timeframe for how long a complaint takes from filing to resolution, but it does publish one concrete deadline within the process: once charges are filed, the Respondent has 20 days to file a written Answer to the Charges, after which a final hearing date is scheduled; urgent public-safety matters are flagged for "priority investigation" and summary-suspension hearings are scheduled "in a timely manner," without a specific number of days attached. |
| Virginia | Virginia Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedComplaints go to the DHP Enforcement Division, which records and assesses each complaint within its jurisdiction and investigates as appropriate. Investigation findings are summarized in a confidential investigative report sent to the Board of Nursing, which may resolve the case by consent order (an agreement to settle without an informal conference or formal hearing) or proceed to an informal fact-finding conference and a formal hearing. DHP publishes targets: cases are generally investigated within three months (timeframes vary), and it is DHP's goal for boards to reach a final determination and close patient care cases within 250 business days from the date the agency received the complaint. |
| Washington | Washington State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedFive published phases: intake and assessment, investigation, case disposition (a reviewing board member decides closure, settlement, or formal action), adjudication with a hearing where needed, and compliance monitoring. Roughly a third of reports advance to investigation; the rest close and are expunged. The board publishes real timelines: intake and assessment usually within 21 days, investigations typically within 170 days, and imminent-danger investigations within 30 days. |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WV RN Board) | Board-sourcedOn a complaint or on its own initiative the Board investigates conduct that may violate the nursing statutes; the licensee is sent a Notice of Complaint containing the allegations, and after investigation the Board may either resolve the matter through a formal consent agreement in lieu of a hearing or afford the licensee a contested case hearing, after which the Board issues its decision and may deny, suspend, revoke, place a license on probation, or assess fees or fines. The Board's published rule gives a licensee fourteen (14) days to respond to the allegations after the Notice of Complaint is sent; the rule sets no published timeline for the length of the investigation or for resolution. |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), which handles complaints for the Board of Nursing, tracks every complaint under a case number, gathers additional information as needed, then sends it to a screening panel (board members and/or a department attorney) that decides whether to close the case, request more information, or open it for investigation. If a case is opened for investigation and the evidence supports it, DSPS may file a disciplinary action against the credential holder, with possible outcomes ranging from a reprimand to license suspension, limitation, or revocation. DSPS publishes a goal, not a fixed statutory deadline: it aims to resolve cases within 18 months from the date they are opened for investigation, and states that on average, complaints opened for investigation are resolved in less than 11 months from the date received. |
| Wyoming | Wyoming State Board of Nursing | Board-sourcedThe Wyoming State Board of Nursing's complaint process moves through initial jurisdictional review, a Board staff investigation by an impartial fact-finding investigator, Investigative Committee (IC) review and recommendation (dismissal, Notice of Warning, or discipline such as reprimand, restriction, suspension, or revocation), notice to the licensee with a right to request settlement or a hearing, and final Board action approving or denying the recommendation, after which the investigation is closed. The board publishes partial timing benchmarks rather than a full end-to-end timeline: it states there is no time limit for filing a complaint, that a typical Investigative Committee file review "may take two (2) weeks," and that after a Notice of Intent is mailed the licensee has "fifteen (15) days from the date of mailing" to request a settlement or hearing. No total case-duration timeframe is published. |
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