There are over 2 million registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S., and almost 700 thousand Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Losing your nursing license is a very serious issue and can ruin your career if you’re not careful. If your nursing license is in jeopardy, there are a lot of steps you have to take. However, you also need to be extra careful not to take the wrong ones, either.
If you believe that your nursing license is under investigation, the most important thing you can do is get help and get help immediately.
Aside from your nursing license lawyer, don’t talk to anyone about your situation. Don’t talk to your friends, your employer, and certainly not your co-workers. Anything that is said during this time can be used against you and anything can potentially cause you to lose your license, permanently.
Keep in mind that Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are one of the biggest targets for medical malpractice lawsuits. Over a 10 year span, there were nearly three thousand medical malpractice payments charged to APRNs.
Medical malpractice suits can occur anywhere, not just in hospitals. Nursing homes play a large role in the license suspension of nurses. Over 90% of nursing homes don’t have enough staff to properly care for patients, so nurses take it on themselves to do everything. It’s a shame, because sometimes this is the only thing that works, but nurses have to be careful to not do anything that could lead to a medical malpractice suit, which could lead to a license suspension or termination.
The most important thing to do once your license is under investigation is to seek help, but doing everything in your power to prevent any issues from happening in the first place should be your first step. Always be aware of the situation you’re in. Don’t do any procedure that you are not comfortable with and have not been properly trained on, maintain professional confidentiality with patients and other coworkers, and keep diligent notes on everything that you do. They could come in handy one day and could help save your career.
If your nursing license is under investigation, act quickly to get the right help. Contact nursing license lawyer Lucy S. McAllister at (877) 280-9944. She has the expertise to help protect your livelihood.