This is February 1st and January 2010 has been a busy one.
State Nursing Board complaints, investigations, adjudications, alternative to discipline program cases, post-discipline reinstatement and monitoring cases are becoming more complex. I am seeing more cases where it involves more than one State Nursing Board and multiple complicated issues and fact patterns. I love my job!!!!
There is a difference between complex vs. on the edge. There are some cases that are just "on the edge" and you know these cases.
I remember when I worked in a law firm and a very wealthy physician retained the firm to represent him in a complicated matter. The case was a priority case. It was a complicated case involving licensure, employment, state and federal regulatory, medical malpractice, credentialing, contract, and possible criminal issues. After the 3 hour meeting with the physician ended, the senior attorney responsible for the case said to the team of attorneys in the conference room (after the physician and his team left of course), "I am getting to old for this shit." This was an "on the edge case" and you needed a chain saw to cut the smog from the cigarettes, perspiration, and tension in the room.
I am still young baby, turning 3 to the 9 this July and I am not "too old." I think of this attorney's remark and the grim look on his face and the time and effort we as team needed to "work" that case and I smile. This was ten years ago and these types of cases are cropping up in nursing with more frequency. Why?
I don't like practicing law "on the edge" or "living on the edge" or doing anything "on the edge" because I am scared of heights. But I have several "on the edge" cases and we take a more systematic approach to bring our clients and the case "off the edge" because its not healthy for the nurse or for us. It takes time and alot of effort but we have alot of success.
If you have an "on the edge" case, I will tell you so and I will charge you accordingly or refer you to another license defense attorney with no hesitation. If you are seeking someone to help you and assist you in your case, guide you through this long process, and you are willing to work just as hard as we are to get a handle on the issues and the drama, then this is the first step in turning an "on the edge" case into a complex case. I have no problem with complex cases because complex State Nursing Board cases are becoming the norm anyway. But maybe that's just my law practice:)
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