Texas Board of Nursing

HB 2426/SB 907 should pass into law this legislative session and the name of the Board will change from the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners to the Texas Board of Nursing. This more accurately reflects the Board's duties. So, who exactly are the people comprising the Texas Board of Nursing?

The Board consists of 13 members appointed to staggered terms by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate: Six of the members are nurses, three members are nurse faculty and four members represent the public. The Board meets in full four times a year. Committees of the Board, such as the Eligibility and Disciplinary Committee, meet more frequently.

When nurses have investigations before the Board, they often think that the Board members are actively involved with their case and the investigation. Some nurses think that the Board members are employees that work at the Board every working day. Neither is correct. The Board of Nurses is similar to Board of Directors. They meet as a group a few times a year, they are responsible for drafting rules and policies to enforce the Nurse Practice Act and their mission and they direct the activities of the Board staff.

The actual day-to-day activities of the Board are performed by the Board staff. The staff is headed by the Executive Director. There are supervisors and directors that head up various departments of the Board. Each department has various staff members and these are the people nurses deal with when they contact the Board.