Under what circumstance may the Board dismiss a complaint against a nurse?

The correct answer is based on the fact that for a complaint against a nurse to result in disciplinary action, there must be evidence that a violation of the Nurse Practice Act actually occurred. If the nurse has not committed a violation, then the Board does not have grounds to proceed with any disciplinary measures, which can lead to the complaint being dismissed. The Nurse Practice Act outlines the specific standards and behaviors expected of nursing professionals, and the Board's responsibility is to ensure that these regulations are upheld. Therefore, if an investigation reveals that a nurse's actions fall within the acceptable standards of practice, the Board will naturally dismiss the complaint.

In contrast, other options relate to factors that might mitigate a situation but do not necessarily remove the finding of a violation. Lacking awareness of the prohibition, not intending harm, or not knowing that a complaint was filed speaks to the circumstances surrounding the incident but does not impact whether a violation occurred as defined by the law. Thus, the dismissal of a complaint hinges fundamentally on the absence of a violation rather than contextual factors or intent.