A nurse is a critical member of the health care community. These individuals provide critical care to patients, and they are often the people to advocate for the needs of those who cannot speak for themselves. However, nurses are held to high standards, and there are strict regulations regarding what they can and cannot do. If you are a nurse, it is crucial that you understand the rules, follow procedure and do not deviate from state and federal nursing standards.
A failure to comply with standards, certain types of mistakes, medical errors and other issues can lead to the loss of a nursing license. If you are a nurse and you are facing accusations that compromise your license, you have the right to fight back. You can also fight for the reinstatement of your license after a suspension or revocation. Your career is at stake, but you do not have to fight for it alone.
Common issues that could harm your career
You may not ever expect something like this to happen to you until you find yourself in a difficult legal position. California nurses face accusations and are under investigation more often than many realize, and even a false claim or misunderstanding can lead to the ruination of one’s career. The most common reasons that nurses lose their licenses include the following:
- A coworker filed a complaint, and an investigation found you to be in the wrong.
- Your employer filed a complaint with the Board of Registered Nurses, and they ruled against you.
- Police arrested you, the court convicted you, or you are under investigation for a crime.
- You got a DUI or a DWI, regardless of your blood alcohol content at the time of arrest.
- Someone accused you of taking medication or stealing hospital property.
- You are facing accusations of any type of professional misconduct.
- You made inadvertent charting errors that led to patient harm.
- Someone accused you of giving false information, neglecting patient care or making serious medical mistakes.
An accusation does not necessarily mean that your nursing career is over. However, it does mean that you will need to take immediate action to protect yourself and seek the best possible outcome to your situation. You will benefit from seeking professional guidance regarding how you can protect your license, confront any allegations you are facing and protect your ability to continue a career you love.
