Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-567.4

A. The Oklahoma Board of Nursing is hereby established in the

State of Oklahoma. The Board shall consist of eleven (11) members

who shall be citizens of the United States of America, and residents

of Oklahoma, for at least the previous three (3) years. Six of the

members shall be Registered Nurses, in good standing under the

provisions of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, currently engaged

in the practice of nursing as a Registered Nurse and shall have had

no less than five (5) years of experience as a Registered Nurse. At

least two of the Registered Nurses shall be from the field of

nursing education, actively associated with a recognized school of

nursing in Oklahoma, and who hold an organizational role of

administration/management and who are accountable for strategic,

operational and/or performance outcomes. At least two of the

Registered Nurses who hold an organizational role of

administration/management and who are accountable for strategic,

operational and/or performance outcomes shall represent nursing

service. At least one of the Registered Nurses shall be currently

engaged in the practice of nursing as an Advanced Practice

Registered Nurse. Three of the members shall be Licensed Practical

Nurses in good standing under the provisions of the Oklahoma Nursing

Practice Act and currently engaged in the practice of practical

nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse and shall have had no less

than five (5) years of experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

One of the licensed nurses must be employed in the field of long-

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term care. One of the licensed nurses shall be employed in the area

of acute care. Two members shall represent the public and shall be

eligible voters of this state, knowledgeable in consumer health

concerns, and shall neither be nor ever have been associated with

the provision of health care, nor be enrolled in any health-related

educational program. The public members shall be appointed by the

Governor to serve coterminously with the Governor. At least one

Registered Nurse Board member, one Licensed Practical Nurse Board

member and one public Board member shall be appointed from a county

with a population of less than forty thousand (40,000).

B. For the purpose of nominating, appointing or reappointing

members to the Board, this state shall be divided into eight

geographical districts, consisting of counties within the districts

as follows:

District No. 1 Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa,

Grant, Kay, Ellis, Woodward, Major, Garfield,

Noble, Dewey, Blaine, Kingfisher and Logan;

District No. 2 Roger Mills, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Caddo,

Greer, Kiowa, Harmon, Jackson, Comanche, Tillman

and Cotton;

District No. 3 Canadian, Grady, McClain, Garvin, Stephens,

Murray, Jefferson, Carter and Love;

District No. 4 Oklahoma;

District No. 5 Lincoln, Okfuskee, Cleveland, Pottawatomie,

Seminole, Hughes, Pontotoc, Coal, Johnston,

Marshall and Bryan;

District No. 6 Creek and Tulsa;

District No. 7 Osage, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa,

Pawnee, Payne, Rogers, Mayes and Delaware; and

District No. 8 Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Okmulgee, Muskogee,

Sequoyah, McIntosh, Haskell, Leflore, Pittsburg,

Latimer, Atoka, Pushmataha, McCurtain and

Choctaw.

Not more than one Registered Nurse and one Licensed Practical

Nurse and one public member shall be appointed from any one

geographical district.

C. The Governor shall appoint the Registered Nurse Board

members from a list of names submitted by the Oklahoma Nurses

Association and Oklahoma chapters of nationally recognized

Registered Nurse organizations. The Governor shall appoint the

Licensed Practical Nurse Board members from a list of names

submitted by the Oklahoma chapters of nationally recognized nursing

organizations. Individuals who are members of the Oklahoma Board of
ed Nurse Board

members from a list of names submitted by the Oklahoma Nurses

Association and Oklahoma chapters of nationally recognized

Registered Nurse organizations. The Governor shall appoint the

Licensed Practical Nurse Board members from a list of names

submitted by the Oklahoma chapters of nationally recognized nursing

organizations. Individuals who are members of the Oklahoma Board of

Nursing prior to September 1, 1991, shall be allowed to fulfill

their terms and be eligible for reappointment.

D. The Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse members

shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years. Upon the death,

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 561

resignation, or removal of any member, a list from the

aforementioned organizations shall be submitted to the Governor who

shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy.

1. In addition to the grounds for removal by the Governor of

members appointed to the Board provided in Section 2 of Title 74 of

the Oklahoma Statutes, it is a ground for removal if a member:

a. does not have at the time of appointment the

qualifications required by subsection A of this

section,

b. is not employed in nursing for a period of twelve (12)

consecutive months during the term for which the

member was appointed,

c. is absent from more than half of the regularly

scheduled Board meetings that the member is eligible

to attend during a calendar year, unless the absence

is excused by a majority vote of the Board, or

d. cannot discharge the duties as a Board member for a

substantial portion of the term for which the member

is appointed because of illness or disability.

2. The validity of an action of the Board is not affected by

the fact that it is taken when a ground for removal of a Board

member exists.

3. If the president of the Board has knowledge that a potential

ground for removal exists, the president shall then notify the

Governor that a potential ground for removal exists.

E. A quorum shall be a majority of the Board which must include

at least three Registered Nurses and one Licensed Practical Nurse.

F. The members of the Board shall annually elect from their

number a president, vice-president and a secretary who shall also be

the treasurer, and other such officers as necessary to conduct the

business of the Board. It shall hold six regular business meetings

during each calendar year. Special meetings may be called by the

president or secretary with five (5) days' notice to each member of

the Board. The Board shall have a seal; it shall make and adopt all

necessary rules not inconsistent with the laws of this state, the

United States, or with the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act; and it

shall perform the duties and transact the business required under

the provisions of the act. The Board shall cause to be kept a

record of all meetings of the Board and give notice of all meetings

in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act and the Open

Meeting Act. A list of all persons duly licensed and qualified

under this act shall be maintained by the Board. Each member of the

Board shall receive, in addition to actual and necessary travel

expenses as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act,

compensation of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each regular

scheduled monthly meeting attended, not to exceed more than six

meetings per year. All monies received by the Board shall be held

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by the treasurer of the Board for meeting the expenses of the Board

and for the promotion of nursing education, to employ an attorney to

assist the Board and other state and county officials in carrying

out the provisions of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, and such

other purposes which the Board may determine, and shall be disbursed

as directed by the Board. The Board is authorized to adopt and
e treasurer of the Board for meeting the expenses of the Board

and for the promotion of nursing education, to employ an attorney to

assist the Board and other state and county officials in carrying

out the provisions of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, and such

other purposes which the Board may determine, and shall be disbursed

as directed by the Board. The Board is authorized to adopt and

revise rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Oklahoma

Nursing Practice Act, as may be necessary to enable it to carry into

effect the provisions of the act, including rules establishing fees,

charges and reimbursement costs. The Board shall appoint and employ

a qualified person, who shall be a Registered Nurse to serve as

Executive Director, and shall fix the compensation, notwithstanding

any other provision of law including Section 3601.2 of Title 74 of

the Oklahoma Statutes, in an amount not in excess of the maximum

salary proposed for the Oklahoma Board of Nursing and set forth in

the most recent Compensation Report prepared by or for the Office of

Management and Enterprise Services, require a satisfactory bond, and

define the duties of the Executive Director to include:

1. The authority and responsibility for the operations and

administration of the agency and such additional powers and duties

as prescribed by the Board. As chief executive of the Board, the

Executive Director shall manage all aspects of the agency, including

personnel, financial and other resources, in support of the Oklahoma

Nursing Practice Act, its rules and policies, and the Board's

mission and strategic plan;

2. The authority to accept orders as set forth in paragraph 3

of this subsection on behalf of the Board and where ratification by

the Board is not required. The Executive Director shall report

summaries of dispositions to the Board at its regular meetings;

3. a. Orders issued under Section 2 of this act,

b. Agreed disciplinary orders requiring an applicant or

licensee to enter and comply with the Peer Assistance

Program,

c. Agreed disciplinary orders for the reinstatement or

endorsement of a license/certificate/recognition when

the applicant has practiced without an active Oklahoma

license/certificate/recognition, and

d. Agreed disciplinary orders for the voluntary surrender

of a license/certification/recognition.