Report 2016-046 Recommendation 8 Responses
Report 2016-046: Board of Registered Nursing: Significant Delays and Inadequate Oversight of the Complaint Resolution Process Have Allowed Some Nurses Who May Pose a Risk to Patient Safety to Continue Practicing (Release Date: December 2016)
Recommendation #8 To: Registered Nursing, Board of
To increase its pool of expert witnesses, by June 2017, BRN should develop and implement a process to track the effectiveness of the methods it uses to recruit expert witnesses, and then focus its efforts on those methods that prove to be the most successful.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2019
The BRN developed and fully implemented a process to track the effectiveness of the methods it uses to recruit expert witnesses and is focusing its efforts on using the most successful methods.
- Completion Date: March 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
The BRN has developed and implemented a process to track the effectiveness of the methods it uses to recruit expert witnesses, and is focusing its efforts on using the most successful methods.
- Completion Date: June 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
The BRN has developed and implemented a process to track the effectiveness of the methods it uses to recruit expert witnesses. However, it has not provided evidence to demonstrate that it is focusing its recruitment efforts on the most successful methods. Until it does so, we will continue to mark this recommendation as partially implemented.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
1-Year Agency Response
The BRN has developed and implemented a process to track the effectiveness of the methods it uses to recruit expert witnesses, and is focusing its efforts on using the most successful methods.
- Completion Date: June 2017
- Response Date: June 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
Although BRN claims it has fully implemented this recommendation, it did not provide evidence demonstrating that it has. Until it does so, we will continue to assess the status of this recommendation as pending.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
6-Month Agency Response
The Expert Witness program has been re-branded and is now called the Expert Practice Consultant (EPC) program. The application has been updated and published to the BRN website.
A recruitment flyer for EPC is now included with all BRN paper renewal notices in the mail. This has resulted in a substantial increase of 61.5% EPC applications received. The success in the number of EPC applications is due to collaboration with DCA's Public Information Office (PIO) and BRN outreach efforts to nursing program Deans and Directors, the California Hospital Association, professional nursing organizations and use of social media.
The internal EPC database has been updated to capture recruiting data and more accurately capture hours and cost. Recruitment data will be evaluated annually or as needed to determine the most effective recruitment technique.
- Completion Date: June 2017
- Response Date: June 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
BRN did not provide documentation to substantiate its claim of full implementation.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
60-Day Agency Response
In an effort to increase its expert witness pool, the BRN has implemented the following:
- Updated Expert Witness application and uploaded the document on the BRN Website.
- Contacted DCA Public Information Office (PIO) to develop a detailed marketing plan to recruit additional Expert Witnesses.
- PIO will develop an initial proposal, and present marketing materials for review to the BRN by March 8, 2017.
- Final production date for Expert Witness Marketing Plan is March 29, 2017.
- BRN Expert Witness Database was updated to capture recruiting data and track effectiveness of recruitment methods.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 2017
- Response Date: February 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
BRN did not provide any documentation demonstrating that the actions they have claimed to take thus far, were indeed taken. As a result, we are assessing the status of this recommendation as pending, given BRN indicates it will fully implement the recommendation.
All Recommendations in 2016-046
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.