Last Updated on: 12th October 2023, 07:55 pm

NY nurse license defense lawyers

Obtaining your nursing license requires work, and after you’ve attain this goal, most people create an entire life around it. The problem is something could happen that could put a nurse’s livelihood in jeopardy, such as losing that license.

Losing your license can happen quickly, which can be dizzying for anyone in this situation. A charge of professional misconduct could lead to an investigation that could go either way for the accused. The nurse in question could get a suspension or much worse.

Being a nurse is hard and not always appreciated. A lawyer who fights for nurses going through these investigations might tell you that sometimes the misconduct a nurse is accused of has nothing to do with the person. Sometimes, the nurse is nothing more than a scapegoat used to distract from internal issues within the hospital. Sometimes, it’s linked to issues with the hospital’s policies, or sometimes, there’s a superior involved that didn’t want to take the blame.

We’ve been working with nurses for a long time, and we value the work they put into the healthcare system. Every lawyer knows that nurses are the backbone of hospitals. This attitude has helped us connect with clients. Nurses have been accused of misconduct in virtually every setting, from regular hospitals to nursing homes. NY nurse license defense lawyers are here to help ensure that you are treated fairly.

You should know there are no guarantees, and if a firm tells you differently, you should be wary of them.

Having experienced attorneys in this specific type of law gives you the upper hand. We’ve represented the following types of nurses:

• Register Professional Nurses
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Nurse Practitioners

Our team has been able to work with nurses as they fight against the Department of Education, the Office of Professional Discipline or the OPD, and against the Department of Health, just to name a few.

Why Would Nurses be Disciplined?

NY nurse license defense lawyers understand the reasons why a nurse might face these types of charges. Having a good understanding of these types of accusations gives us a better perspective of what you might be going through. Being knowledgeable also means we know about the rules and regulations of your profession, which allows our team to respond accordingly.

The following are some things a nurse might be accused of:

• Being convicted of some sort of crime
• Involved in drug diversion
• Committing fraud of some sort
• Practicing care with incompetence or negligence
• Working while intoxicated or under the influence of a drug
• Working with an undisclosed mental issue
• Using drugs often
• Letting an unauthorized person perform your work
• Turning in false reports
• Failing to record things accordingly

The Investigation

The process may start as soon as someone files a complaint with OPD. They are in charge of starting the investigation to confirm or dismiss the allegation. The department is hit 10,000 complaints every year. Most of the time, these investigations are started by employers though there are a few times when the patient does it.

After the complaint is filed and the investigation starts, the nurse is usually contacted. Sometimes, investigators ask the nurse if he or she could sit through an interview. Documents regarding the incident and much more are collected. Everything is neatly packaged by investigators and given to the OPD attorney once the investigation is over. A separate report is given to the Board of Nursing so that they’re aware of the findings.

A smart nurse will need to hire an attorney to deal with all of this, which can be confusing. You cannot be in a position of weakness right now. Your livelihood is on the line. It would be wise to hire an experienced attorney as soon as you know that you’re being investigated. You don’t have to speak to the investigators though you should disclose documents if requested.

If you are called, it’s better to simply call us so that we can contact them on your behalf. Anything you say to them may be used against you. There’s a chance you could accidentally incriminate yourself, which is one reason you need to avoid speaking to investigators who don’t have your best interests at heart.