Schwarzenegger Replaces Most of State Nursing Board

ProPublica

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced nearly everyone on the Board of Registered Nursing late Monday, citing the unacceptable length of time it takes to discipline nurses accused of egregious misconduct.

He fired three of six sitting board members -- including President Susanne Phillips -- in one-paragraph letters curtly thanking them for their service. Another member resigned Sunday. Late Monday, his administration released a list of replacements.

The shake-up came a day after The Los Angeles Times and the ProPublica reported that it takes the board an average of three years and five months to investigate and close complaints against nurses.

During that time, nurses accused of wrongdoing are free to practice – often with spotless records -- and move from hospital to hospital. All the while, patients and potential employers are unaware of the risks.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that it takes years to investigate such outrageous allegations of misconduct against licensed health professionals whom the public rely on for their health and well-being," said Schwarzenegger, in a written statement late Monday.

Board member Andrea Guillen Dutton, in a one-page letter Sunday, said she was resigning in frustration. "Certain 'bad actors' are jeopardizing the reputation of the entire nursing profession," she wrote. "This deeply saddens me.

"I have fought to defend the integrity of patient care throughout the state by holding the negligent accountable," she wrote. "However, I have grown increasingly frustrated by the board's lack of ability to achieve its stated objectives in a timely and efficient manner."

The other two board members fired were Vice President Elizabeth O. Dietz and Janice Glaab.

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