The Impact of Mental Health Evaluations on Your Missouri Nursing License
What Nurses Need to Know When the Board Requires a Psychological or Psychiatric Assessment
If you’re a nurse in Missouri and the State Board of Nursing has requested or ordered a mental health evaluation, it’s natural to feel anxious or confused. Many nurses worry that undergoing a psychiatric or psychological assessment will automatically lead to discipline or suggest they’re unfit to practice. However, the real impact of a mental health evaluation depends on how the situation is managed—both clinically and legally.
At Sanger Law Office, LLC, we’ve helped nurses across Missouri respond to mental health-related inquiries from the Board with professionalism, privacy, and strategy. Below, we explain why the Missouri Board orders these evaluations, how they affect your license, and how to protect your career through the process.
Why the Missouri State Board of Nursing Orders Mental Health Evaluations
Under Missouri Revised Statutes § 335.066, the Board may take disciplinary action if a nurse is found to have:
- A physical or mental condition that impairs their ability to safely practice nursing
- Engaged in conduct suggesting instability, erratic behavior, or impaired judgment
- Been hospitalized or treated for psychiatric conditions or substance use disorders
- Received multiple complaints involving professionalism, judgment, or behavior
- Refused or failed a required mental health assessment during prior discipline
The goal of the evaluation is not to punish—it’s to determine whether you are mentally and emotionally fit to continue practicing safely. That said, how the evaluation is triggered and conducted matters greatly.
When Mental Health Evaluations Are Most Common
You may be asked to undergo a psychological or psychiatric evaluation if:
- You’re facing allegations of inappropriate behavior, emotional instability, or erratic conduct
- You’ve been reported for threatening, aggressive, or bizarre workplace behavior
- You’ve had repeated complaints related to poor judgment, boundary issues, or burnout
- You’ve been involuntarily hospitalized, diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder, or placed on psychiatric medications
- Your license has been suspended or surrendered in the past and you are seeking reinstatement
- The Board has received criminal records related to behavior, such as assault, stalking, or DUI
In many of these cases, the Board may believe a mental health evaluation is necessary to determine your ongoing fitness to practice.
What the Evaluation Process Typically Involves
If the Board orders an evaluation, you’ll be expected to attend a comprehensive psychological or psychiatric assessment, which may include:
- A clinical interview
- Psychological testing (such as MMPI-2 or PAI)
- Review of your employment and disciplinary history
- Review of medical and psychiatric records
- A written report issued to the Board
You may be evaluated by a provider chosen by the Board, or they may allow you to submit an evaluation from a licensed, independent provider. Either way, the results of the evaluation are shared with the Board and used as part of their decision-making process.
How Mental Health Evaluations Can Affect Your Nursing License
The outcome of the evaluation can determine what happens next in your case. Possible Board actions include:
✔️ No Further Action
If the evaluation shows no safety concerns and no impairment, the Board may close the matter or dismiss the complaint.
✔️ Monitoring or Probation
If the evaluation suggests a treatable issue (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD), the Board may allow you to continue working under supervision or with certain restrictions.
✔️ Practice Limitations
If the evaluator recommends restrictions (e.g., no night shifts, medication access limits), the Board may incorporate these into your license terms.
✔️ License Suspension or Denial of Reinstatement
If the evaluation finds that your mental health condition currently impairs your ability to practice, the Board may suspend your license or deny reinstatement until you meet treatment and fitness milestones.
✔️ Referral to the Missouri Alternative Program
If substance use or dual diagnosis is involved, the Board may offer participation in a confidential rehabilitation program as an alternative to public discipline.
What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Do if Ordered to Undergo an Evaluation
Do: Involve a Nursing License Defense Attorney Immediately
An attorney can:
- Review the reason the Board requested the evaluation
- Help you select a qualified, fair, and neutral evaluator (when allowed)
- Communicate with the Board on your behalf
- Prepare you for what to expect during the process
- Challenge biased or flawed evaluations, if necessary
- Advocate for your safe return to practice
Don’t: Ignore or Delay the Evaluation
Failure to cooperate with a Board-ordered evaluation can be treated as misconduct and lead to further discipline or automatic license suspension.
Don’t: Attempt to Handle the Situation Alone
Mental health issues are complex, and how they’re presented legally matters. Even a well-meaning response could be misinterpreted by the Board if not guided by legal insight.
Do: Follow All Recommendations from the Evaluator
Demonstrating compliance with therapy, medication, or follow-up care can show the Board that you take your recovery and responsibility seriously.
How Sanger Law Office, LLC Helps Missouri Nurses Facing Mental Health Evaluations
We understand that being ordered to undergo a psychological or psychiatric evaluation is not just stressful—it can feel deeply personal. At Sanger Law Office, LLC, we help nurses:
- Understand their rights during Board-ordered evaluations
- Choose evaluators who are reputable and impartial (when permitted)
- Respond to the Board with supportive documentation and appropriate legal framing
- Advocate for alternatives to license suspension or revocation
- Reinforce your fitness to practice with evidence of treatment, compliance, and success
Our role is to protect your license, your career, and your dignity—while ensuring the Board sees the full context of your situation.
Call Danielle Sanger Today!
If you’re a Missouri nurse who has been ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation—or you’re worried that a complaint might lead to one—don’t wait to protect your license.
📞 Call Sanger Law Office, LLC today for a free, confidential consultation:
(816) 520-8040 for Missouri
(785) 979-4353 for Kansas
We’ll help you move forward with clarity, legal strength, and the support you need to keep doing the work you love.