It’s the outcome every nurse dreads: the loss of their nursing license due to a complaint. It can feel like the world has fallen out from beneath their feet; their professional life has come to a complete standstill. But this doesn’t have to be the case. There are actions a nurse recently stripped of their license can still take.
For one thing, loss of the license is not cause for despair. Nurses have a skill set that is easily transferable. Though the options available in the field of health care will likely be greatly limited, other possibilities do exist in fields such as consulting for businesses that sell products related to the nursing industry, and in information technology, where the familiarity that modern-day nurses must foster with technology is a valued asset. These sorts of opportunities can be taken even more significant advantage of by a nurse who seizes the day and quickly earns certifications as necessary.
Nurses may also want to challenge the report of adverse action that is sent to the National Practitioner Data Bank—a clearinghouse of information about healthcare practitioners that licensing boards, employers, hospitals, clinics and others look to when determining whether to hire or grant privileges to professionals in the healthcare industry. This challenge comes in the form of a written statement submitted by the nurse (or other practitioner) that is viewed in tandem with the report on disciplinary action by those looking to the Data Bank for information. This doesn’t change the negative report, unfortunately, but it can clarify the situation and ameliorate the otherwise negative impact the report may have.
Of course, the best chance a nurse may have to get their license reinstated will be to act proactively during the complaint investigation process. The critical move is to bring in a professional license defense attorney as soon as they can—as soon as they are notified of the complaint, if possible. This way, we can work to make the proper replies to inquiries and can help the nurse to avoid any mistakes that might doom any later attempt at reinstatement.
So if you’re a nurse who has received notice of a complaint from the Texas Board of Nursing, contact a professional license defense attorney as quickly as possible. BERTOLINO LLP proudly represents those fighting threats to their licenses or for licensure reinstatement across the entire State of Texas, and we have a solid track record of success. To best serve our clients, we have offices in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
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