Kansas Telehealth Nursing and License Oversight: What Nurses Must Know
How Virtual Care Impacts Complaints, Investigations, and the Kansas Nurse Practice Act
Telehealth has transformed healthcare in Kansas by allowing nurses to care for patients across distances through video calls, phone consultations, and digital monitoring. While this innovation expands access to care, it also introduces new oversight challenges for nurses. The Kansas Nurse Practice Act applies just as strongly in virtual settings as it does in traditional clinical environments. That means errors, boundary violations, or communication breakdowns in telehealth can trigger complaints to the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) with the same seriousness as in-person practice.
For Kansas nurses, understanding how telehealth intersects with licensing regulations is critical to maintaining compliance and protecting your license.
How the Kansas Nurse Practice Act Applies to Telehealth
The Kansas Nurse Practice Act (K.S.A. 65-1113 et seq.) governs the scope of practice for registered nurses, LPNs, and APRNs. The law makes no distinction between in-person care and telehealth. Instead, it requires that:
- Nurses provide the same standard of care virtually as they would in person.
- Documentation must be accurate and complete, including technology used and any limitations of telehealth encounters.
- Confidentiality and HIPAA protections apply to all telehealth platforms.
- Nurses only practice within the scope of their Kansas license—even if the patient is located elsewhere.
Failure to meet these obligations can be considered negligence, unprofessional conduct, or violation of the Act.
Complaint Jurisdiction in Telehealth
A common question is: Who has jurisdiction if something goes wrong in telehealth?
- If the nurse is licensed in Kansas, KSBN has authority, even if the patient is in another state.
- If a Kansas nurse practices across state lines, they may also fall under the jurisdiction of the patient’s state licensing board.
- Telehealth services provided through compact licensure (Nurse Licensure Compact, or NLC) may expose nurses to discipline in multiple states at once.
This means that a single telehealth error or misunderstanding could trigger complaints in more than one jurisdiction.
Common Telehealth Complaints in Kansas
Nurses providing care through telehealth have faced complaints for:
- Misdiagnosis or missed symptoms due to lack of physical examination
- Technical failures that compromise care but were not documented
- Failure to obtain proper informed consent for telehealth services
- Privacy violations when platforms are not HIPAA-compliant or sessions are conducted in non-private locations
- Boundary issues, such as casual communication with patients through text or personal devices
While some of these complaints stem from technology limitations, KSBN evaluates them through the lens of the Nurse Practice Act and expects nurses to anticipate and mitigate these risks.
Protecting Your Kansas Nursing License in Telehealth
To reduce your risk of a Board complaint while practicing telehealth in Kansas:
- Use Board-approved, HIPAA-compliant platforms
- Document thoroughly, noting any limitations of the virtual exam
- Confirm patient identity at every session
- Obtain informed consent specific to telehealth services
- Maintain professional boundaries in digital communications
- Stay updated on Kansas regulations and the Nurse Licensure Compact
If a complaint is filed, the KSBN will investigate just as they would for in-person care, reviewing your records, communications, and adherence to policy.
Why Legal Counsel Is Essential
Telehealth is still a developing area of healthcare law, and many nurses are unsure how to defend themselves when complaints arise. An experienced Kansas nursing license defense attorney can:
- Clarify how jurisdiction applies to your case
- Ensure your documentation and policies are presented properly to the Board
- Defend against allegations of negligence or unprofessional conduct
- Represent you if the complaint triggers hearings in multiple states
Without representation, a nurse may inadvertently provide admissions during the Board’s investigation that damage their defense.
Call Sanger Law Office Today For a Free Consultation
If you’re a Kansas nurse facing a complaint related to telehealth services—or you’ve been contacted by the Kansas State Board of Nursing about your virtual practice—don’t wait to protect your license.
Call Sanger Law Office, LLC today at (785) 979-4353 for a confidential consultation. Attorney Danielle R. Sanger has decades of experience defending nurses across Kansas and can help you protect your license and your career in this evolving area of healthcare.