The Iowa Board of Nursing filed charges against a registered nurse with several years experience in the nursing profession, accusing her of habitual alcohol intoxication in violation of state law. The nurse countered with a lawsuit against the Board accusing it of taking action to deprive her of her constitutional rights.

   The conditions of the probation imposed by the Board were that she receive inpatient alcohol-abuse treatment, participate in an aftercare treatment program, attend Alcoholics Anonymous, submit to random blood and/or urine testing and undergo a medical and psychiatric examination at her own expense within three months of the date of the end of her probationary period.

   The case wound its way through administrative proceedings and court hearings, until it was before the Iowa Supreme Court. That court ruled that, "A professional licensing board’s authority to impose sanctions against those it licenses is extremely broad. The purpose of statutory licensing schemes is to protect the public health, safety and welfare."