Last Updated on: 1st August 2023, 01:27 am

New York has several laws in place to protect patients from incompetent medical professionals. However, the laws are so strict that many nurses who make a simple mistake can wind up with a jeopardized license. To make matters worse, some nurses can be falsely accused of something they did not do at all and still lose their license. The best way to prevent any of this from happening is to work with an experienced attorney who can protect professional licenses. Our firm has years of experience helping Long Island nurses beat false charges and keep their licenses when they are facing harsh accusations.

Reasons For Possibly Losing A Nursing License In Long Island

Without the help of an experienced attorney, there are several reasons a nurse could lose his or her license. In addition to being accusations that result in disciplinary action by the licensing board, some of these accusations may come with criminal charges as well.

Standard Of Care Violations

Nurses may be accused of mistreating patients or neglecting them. They may forget to provide a certain type of care to a patient. In some cases, a doctor or other medical professional may order a procedure or care regimen for a patient. If the nurse is not properly notified and does not provide the required care, the nurse may wrongly be accused of this type of violation.

Sexual Violations

Some nurses will encounter false accusations of sexual advances or inappropriate sexual touching. As part of their job, nurses must touch patients. However, not all patients are honest about how they are touched. These false accusations can quickly turn into serious charges.

Fraud And Theft

While fraud is a more common accusation in long-term care facilities, theft is common in hospitals and home care. Even confused patients may wrongly accuse nurses of taking their belongings and can make a case out of it. Nurses may wrongly be accused of fraud if a patient believes the nurse was dishonest.

Drug And Alcohol Use

People in all professions struggle with chemical dependency. When nurses are caught using drugs, drinking while at work or going to work intoxicated, they can put patients in danger. Although licensing boards and facilities are strict about this, there are options available for seeking treatment and preserving a license in many cases.

Falsification And Forgery

Nurses may be wrongly accused of falsifying medication prescriptions, medication administration records or chart data. They may also be accused of forging a doctor’s signature or a patient’s signature. This accusation can be tough to counter. However, a good attorney knows the right defenses to keep a nurse’s license safe.

Not Meeting Licensing Requirements

Nurses may forget to follow the state’s licensing requirements for keeping a license active by seeking continuing education and paying the correct fees. In some cases, the fee check may have been lost in the mail. There are ways to preserve a license without having to face months of hard work and headaches to get a license back.

Malpractice

Anything from administering the wrong type of medication to failing to tell a patient about a test result can bring a malpractice suit. Fortunately, many malpractice suits are shot down in court for their weakness. However, it is important to retain an experienced attorney to avoid the possibility of losing a license.

Criminal Offenses

Any nurse who has been charged with a criminal offense should take it seriously whether there is any truth to it or not. Never admit to a crime, and never admit to a crime to take the blame for a coworker. Whenever criminal charges of theft, sexual molestation or another serious offense have been filed, only discuss the matter with an attorney. A Long Island nursing license defense attorney will keep the information confidential.

Penalties For Accusations And Charges Against Nurses

Many Long Island nurses face false accusations each year. If they do not have a good attorney, they may not beat the false charges or accusations. Some of the penalties for accusations toward nurses from the licensing board include the following:

– Fines
– Monitoring
– Rectification
– Reprimand
– Restriction
– Probation
– Suspension
– Revocation

Nurses who face trouble based on chemical dependency may have their licenses temporarily suspended and may have to enter a treatment program. In addition to this, they may have to undergo mandatory counseling before they can return to work and regain license privileges.

If there are criminal charges involved, there will be additional penalties from the court. Keep in mind that penalties from licensing boards and courts differ. For example, a nurse who is convicted of stealing may face license revocation from the board and a jail sentence with probation to follow from criminal court. Prison, jail, fines and probation are common penalties in criminal cases where nurses do not have the best representation. For some sex-based criminal convictions, the requirement to register as a sex offender may also be imposed. Our firm seeks to have any criminal charges dropped or reduced, and we also simultaneously work with the board to lessen any punishments based on licensing actions.

Why Hire A Nursing License Defense Attorney?

Facing disciplinary action and an investigation without a legal professional is a very risky choice. The licensing board may administer harsh disciplinary action based on false accusations, and some nurses may wind up facing criminal charges based on a misinterpreted situation or series of events. The only way to protect a professional license, reputation and future is to hire an experienced Long Island nursing license defense attorney. Our firm knows the defenses that work. When a case must go to trial, we spare no expense to call in expert witnesses. Our firm has a solid record of helping nurses beat false charges and accusations. To learn more about protecting your license and your innocence, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.