Legal Information

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Legal Information

As a nursing professional, it's crucial to have a solid understanding of the legalities that surround the healthcare industry. Here we aim to provide you with valuable information on nursing laws and regulations, liability and malpractice, and patient rights and confidentiality to ensure you deliver quality care while abiding by the law.

Legal Opinions

To find the following legal opinions, click on the links below.

Statutes and Regulations

The laws and regulations applicable to nurses, dialysis technicians, and licensed certified professional midwives in Kentucky.

Nursing Statutes: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/chapter.aspx?id=38813
Nursing Regulations: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/020/

Material incorporated by reference in regulations promulgated by KBN
Pending regulations approved by KBN for proposed promulgation

Information about Administrative Hearings

Administrative hearings in Kentucky are governed by Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 13B
To learn more about Kentucky Board of Nursing administrative hearings review the Disciplinary Process and Procedures Brochure

Open Records Requests

Residents of the Commonweath, as defined by KRS 61.872(1), may submit open records requests to:

Kentucky Board of Nursing, Records Custodian
312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40222
Fax: (502) 420-1542
Email: KBN.ORR@ky.gov
Residents of the Commonwealth may submit open records requests on the form provided on the website of the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General

License Validation and Bulk Licensee Data Requests

An open records request is not necessary for KBN Basic License Validation. Bulk Licensee Data Validation is now available free through Nursys e-notify at www.nursys.com

Executive Action Relating to Medical Cannabis

Governor Beshear signed Executive Order #2022-798 on November 15, 2022. The text of the order can be found here: https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20221115_Executive-Order_2022-798_Medical-Cannabis.pdf. The order was effective on January 1, 2023. Please remember that nurses are accountable to Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 314 and Kentucky Administrative Regulations, Title 201, Chapter 20.

Material Incorporated by Reference (“MIR”)

Applications, forms, reference materials, etc. may be found
in the KBN Document Library, by searching for the term "MIR."

Pending KBN Regulations

To locate a pending or emergency regulations in the KBN Document Library, search for the terms "pending" “or emergency.”

Legal