License Holders Are Required to Report Misconduct to Board of Nursing
Published: Jul 06, 2026 by Brennan Santa, Law ClerkPrepared by: Jim McGovern, Esq. & Brennan Santa, Law Clerk
License holders are expected to report their own misconduct to the Ohio Board of Nursing. They must report felonies; misdemeanors with a direct and substantial relationship to the practice of nursing; violations of a county, state, or federal drug law; as well as any DUI, OVI, or physical control while under the influence.1 As of 2024, they must report these to the Ohio Board of Nursing within 30 days of the conviction, plea, or program in lieu of conviction.2
Further, prosecuting attorneys have a duty to report the misconduct of license holders to the Ohio Board of Nursing. If a prosecuting attorney has reason to believe (or knows) that a current or former license holder engaged in conduct that would be grounds for disciplinary action by the board of nursing, they must report it.3 Therefore, it is likely that the Board will learn about the misconduct, regardless of if the license holder reports it or not.
It is possible that a license holder who neglects to report their own misconduct and is reported by a colleague or a prosecuting attorney will experience harsher discipline. It could appear that this neglect to report was an attempt to hide the misconduct. An instance of misconduct, coupled with dishonesty and/or neglecting one’s obligations, will appear worse to the Board than the misconduct on its own.
It is important that license holders fulfill their reporting obligations, and alert the Board of their own misconduct.
Reporting misconduct does not guarantee a certain outcome. While the Board of Nursing may certainly take action as a result of the misconduct, it is not required that they do so. It is not necessarily the case that an individual who reports misconduct of this kind to the Board will be sanctioned.
If you need advice about instances of misconduct or reporting misconduct, contact Graff & McGovern today to help you navigate what to do next.
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