Nurses are a vital part of the healthcare community. Whether you’re employed by a hospital, private practice, clinic or other healthcare organization, your main focus is making sure patients receive the best care possible. Along with caring for patients you may also be tasked with administrative duties as well as assisting doctors’ needs.
Nursing is a rewarding yet demanding profession that requires an intense level of commitment. Most nurses live in fear of their license being revoked over one small mistake but in reality, it usually takes much more than one minor mishap to convince a state board to invalidate someone’s license.
What type of offenses could lead to a nurse losing their license?
Working without a valid license
The state of Minnesota requires nurses to complete continued education and become re-certified at least every two years. If the state finds out your certification has expired but you’re still working (possibly using false documents), they may decide not to allow re-certification.
Diverting medication
Diverting drugs is a very serious offense and may even be punishable by jail time. Slipping yourself (or someone else) unauthorized medications is never okay — mediations are to be taken from the med room for patients only.
Falsifying patient records
No matter your reasoning, falsifying patient records will likely get your license revoked. It is vitally important that all patient records remain accurate and up-to-date. If you were too tired after a long shift to complete patient forms or simply forgot, it could result in a doctor inadvertently mistreating a patient and lead to more serious issues.
Malpractice, neglect or abuse
Intentionally mistreating, neglecting or abusing a client will not only get your license revoked but may result in criminal punishment. Even cases of unintentional mistreatment, neglect or abuse could lead to having your license revoked or suspended.
It is important to address any concerns of feeling overworked or overstressed immediately. In some cases, patients are neglected the proper care simply due to understaffing issues. Protect yourself by speaking up in these situations. And remember — if you feel your performance is being questioned or your license is in jeopardy, call [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] at [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-2″] to speak with an experienced nursing license defense attorney for guidance.