The State Nursing Board cases and the allegations are becoming more complex.
1. Med Mal/Nursing Negligence and the State Nursing Board
If you are or will be named a defendant in med mal case listen up. Hopefully you have your own professional liability insurance to provide for your defense and for your own defense attorney to work with your employer or former employer's defense attorney.
Find an attorney you trust, who you like (somewhat), and you can work with over a period of months or years. If you need to meet with several attorneys then do so.
Also, imagine this. If you are named as defendant in a med mal case or your conduct, actions, or inactions are one of the focuses in a med mal case, chances are you are going to be reported to the State Nursing Board. Talk to a nurse license defense attorney initially.
I am seeing a trend where nurses blame their attorneys for the outcomes of the representation, counseling, and advising.
2. My Attorney Fracked Up My Case!
#1. If you call my office and you start blasting another attorney, red flags, bells, whistles, and fireworks go off in my mind. Why?
You probably won't be working with me because I am not going to be the next target. Also I am pretty good with reading clients and the issues and I know in a few minutes if this is someone I want to work with or refer out to other license defense attorneys , in Columbus. LOL.
#2. If you are not satisfied with the representation then talk to your current attorney, don't call me. I don't like that I will tell you so.
#3. Talk to your attorney and work it out and terminate your attorney and retain another lawyer. I usually don't represent nurses who have been represented by more than one license defense attorneys because this in and of itself tells me alot.
#4. Do your research and find the right nurse license defense attorney for your case. Ask questions and if necessary speak with several attorneys before you retain a lawyer. Ask for referrals from other nurses, your State Nurses Association, and conduct your own research about the attorney and the law firm. Its your license and its just that important.
#5. Just a hint. Don't call my office or any attorneys office and say to an attorney "I don't like, trust, or respect lawyers."
I am a nurse and I am also a lawyer. I was offended another nurse would call my office and be that damn rude. I wasn't surprised because nothing surprises me anymore in a nurse license defense practice. But don't call my office and tell me you don't like lawyers and then ask for my assistance. Why?
I am going to put you on speaker phone, give the phone the middle finger (I know; its so passive aggressive but I am a nurse also), and start reviewing emails. Then after five minutes, I am going to thank you for calling, tell you I cannot assist you, and refer you to the State Bar Association of What-Chu-Ma-Call-It.
This was nurse whose self-representation before the State Nursing Board was a disaster and the nurse was angry, very angry.
3. Criminal Convictions, the State Nursing Board, and Dual Diagnosis, Substance Use/Abuse, or Cognitive Impairments
When I meet with clients who have a combination of the above, I bring a pillow, cover, and Pepsi to the meeting because its going to be a long one and justly so.
You need to have attorney representation in these cases, period. There are just too many issues to consider and too many short and long-term implications for self-representation here.
4. Patient Injury or Death and a State Nursing Board Complaint
Retain a nurse license defense attorney.
5. This is your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th State Nursing Board Complaint
Retain a nurse license defense attorney. Bring your check book and a credit card.
6. APRNs and State Nursing Board Complaint
Don't represent yourself in these cases. Unfortunately I am seeing this more frequently and the consequences of not making informed decisions and thinking about the long-term and the short-term can shorten or kill your nursing career. Retain a nurse license defense attorney.
7. Nursing Students and NCLEX Applicants & Criminal Convictions
a. You don't know what you don't know.
b. Talk to a nurse license defense attorney before you submit your State Nursing Board application, please. I charge a fee for consultations; you may find someone who does not.
c. Don't rely on the advice given to you by nursing instructors, professors, and others which essentially "just submit your application, it will be okay, as you are a different person now." WTH and who in hell says this? You are NOT applying for a job at Diary Queen when you submit a State Nursing Board Application for Licensure by Examination.
d. NCLEX-Applicants may benefit from attorney representation as well. I know your nursing program or nursing instructors didn't tell you this but I am telling you this. If you have ANY affirmative responses on your Application for Licensure you need to speak with a lawyer and schedule a consultation. Pay a few hundred dollars to find out what you are facing here instead of blindly submitting your App. Last but not least
8. Criminal Convictions and State Nursing Board Renewals
a. Schedule an appt. with a license defense attorney to discuss the renewal application.
b. Consider attorney representation in these cases.
Yes, they are just that serious.
Also if you have falsified your renewal applications with a State Nursing Board, bring your checkbook and 2 credit cards to the meeting with the attorney you retain. Don't represent yourself in these cases; its a recipe for disaster.
The Ohio Nursing Board renewal is fast approaching. We should receive our renewal applications here soon and when I do, I will post the language in the questions.
Comments