Complaints & Disciplinary Process

Anyone who believes a nurse or registrant committed a violation is encouraged to report the situation to the Board.  

Grounds for Discipline Action

The Board may take disciplinary or corrective action against a nurse (LPN, RN, CNM, CNP, CRNA, and CNS) or a registered certified nurse aide (CNA) and registered medication aide (RMA), when there is sufficient evidence and proof to support that the licensee or registrant violated one of the grounds listed in SDCL 36-9-49, SDCL 36-9A-29, or ARSD 20:48:16:04.  The Board may take any of the following actions:

  • Non-disciplinary: Dismiss Complaint, Letter of Concern; or mandate a nurse to enroll in the Health Professionals Assistance Program (HPAP)

  • Disciplinary: Letter of Reprimand, Probation, Denial of Licensure or Registration, Suspension, or Revocation

    • As required by state and federal law, formal discipline action taken by the Board is reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, published in the Board’s newsletter, and on the Board’s websites for nurses and registrants.

Mandatory Reporting

South Dakota law requires that nurses and other health care employees or facilities report knowledge of or reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of elders, adults with disabilities, or minors to the SD Department of Social Services

Page Updated: 3/31/2026 12:53:12 PM