Complete coverage: When caregivers harm

Nurses, dentists and other professionals with addictions will be subject to more drug tests, and any restrictions to their licenses will be listed on public websites.

The board issues an 11-page report with recommendations for improving the ‘unacceptably long’ process of disciplining nurses accused of malfeasance.

Some covertly get jobs and steal drugs for their own use. Regulators are slow to act, leaving patients vulnerable.

Ruth Ann Terry had held the post nearly 16 years. As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vows to overhaul the disciplinary process for wayward nurses, he faces significant obstacles, some of his own making.

He replaces most members, prompted by reports of problem practitioners continuing to work for years as cases against them drag on, endangering patients.

California’s oversight board often takes years to mete out discipline for egregious misconduct, leaving the public unaware of the risk.

In other cases the action occurs only years after allegations are made.

State lacks fingerprints for nearly a third of medical workers, so their criminal histories can’t be screened.

Many LVNs kept full licenses after the state knew of convictions.

The California Board of Registered Nursing unanimously approved emergency regulations Thursday requiring all of its licensees to submit fingerprints, allowing law enforcement agencies to flag the nursing board any time a nurse is arrested.

The state will now ask applicants if they have criminal convictions and work to expand fingerprinting.

Dozens have kept their state licenses for years despite convictions.