Safe Harbor, two words nurses use to protect themselves and the safety of their patients during times of unfavorable working condition. Texas Board of Nursing (TBON, n.d.a) clarifies Safe Harbor as a nursing peer review process the nurse may initiate, under good faith, when asked to engage in assignments or conduct the nurse believes to violate Standards of Practice, Duty to Patient, or Nursing Practice Act (NPA) (“Safe Harbor Peer Review”). Registered nurse of 20 years and a peer review committee member, V. Clay states the hospital follows the TBON policies exactly when initiating, processing, and completing a Safe Harbor peer review (Personal Communication, June 24, 2016). As the nursing shortage remains steady and hospital units are required
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255). Nurses requesting Safe Harbor need to initiate this with the nurse supervisor before accepting and becoming involved in the task. TBON (2012) states the use of the quick request BON form to invoke Safe Harbor is not needed but the request must be in writing (p. 3). Writing the request on a napkin or post-it note, then delivered to the nurse supervisor, can suffice until the patient’s condition is stable or the situation has calmed down to complete the official Safe Harbor forms (V. Clay, Personal Communication, June 24, 2016). Available on the TBON website (www.bon.texas.gov) are Safe Harbor forms for quick request and comprehensive request. Even though the TBON quick request form is not required, the Comprehensive Request for Safe Harbor Form is required and must be completed before leaving the work at the end of the assignment (TBON, n.d.c). These forms are for internal processing, not for TBON use and should not be sent to TBON unless specifically requested or required. Safe Harbor peer review committee is required to complete the review process within 14 days from when the request was invoked and inform the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), or nurse administrator, of the results. The CNO, or nursing administrator, will review the findings and inform the requesting nurse within 48 hours of the final results; if the request was in good faith and if findings are correct or incorrect (TBON, 2015, p. 191). Cropley (2015) simplifies TBON Rule 217.20 and NPA 301.352, 301.413, 303.005 (C), (D), and (H) explaining how requesting Safe Harbor by the nurse in good faith protects the nurse against “employer retaliation, suspension, termination, discipline, discrimination, and licensure sanction” (p. 4; TBON, n.d.a). However, if it is determined the request was made in bad faith,
255). Nurses requesting Safe Harbor need to initiate this with the nurse supervisor before accepting and becoming involved in the task. TBON (2012) states the use of the quick request BON form to invoke Safe Harbor is not needed but the request must be in writing (p. 3). Writing the request on a napkin or post-it note, then delivered to the nurse supervisor, can suffice until the patient’s condition is stable or the situation has calmed down to complete the official Safe Harbor forms (V. Clay, Personal Communication, June 24, 2016). Available on the TBON website (www.bon.texas.gov) are Safe Harbor forms for quick request and comprehensive request. Even though the TBON quick request form is not required, the Comprehensive Request for Safe Harbor Form is required and must be completed before leaving the work at the end of the assignment (TBON, n.d.c). These forms are for internal processing, not for TBON use and should not be sent to TBON unless specifically requested or required. Safe Harbor peer review committee is required to complete the review process within 14 days from when the request was invoked and inform the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), or nurse administrator, of the results. The CNO, or nursing administrator, will review the findings and inform the requesting nurse within 48 hours of the final results; if the request was in good faith and if findings are correct or incorrect (TBON, 2015, p. 191). Cropley (2015) simplifies TBON Rule 217.20 and NPA 301.352, 301.413, 303.005 (C), (D), and (H) explaining how requesting Safe Harbor by the nurse in good faith protects the nurse against “employer retaliation, suspension, termination, discipline, discrimination, and licensure sanction” (p. 4; TBON, n.d.a). However, if it is determined the request was made in bad faith,