Defending Your Nursing License

By James Witherspoon
All nurses are required to be licensed by their state licensing board in order to legally practice nursing within the state. Prospective nurses must undergo a rigorous background investigation in order to become licensed and must meet certain standards throughout their licensure in order to keep the privilege of practicing nursing. If at any point a licensed nurse is believed to have violated the standard of care or other license regulations, he or she may face a licensing board review and disciplinary action.

Nursing Grounds for Discipline

Nursing board license standards can vary from state to state. Some of the common grounds for discipline that may lead to a nursing board investigation include:

Chemical dependencyCriminal arrests or convictions, Fraud, Medical malpractice, Practicing while a license is pending, Professional misconduct, Standard of care violations,

Defending Your Case

If you are entering into a nursing board investigation because you have been suspected of violating the standards or regulations set forth by your licensing board, consider consulting with an experienced nursing license defense lawyer as soon as possible. Just as you would never trust your medical treatment to someone without a medical background, don't trust your license defense to anyone without a strong legal background.

A good license defense attorney can help to clarify the circumstances of your case and will work diligently to protect your legal rights and interests. He or she will handle all communications with your licensing board and will work to pursue the best possible resolution for your case. You may be eligible to negotiate a case dismissal, reduced disciplinary action, rehabilitation, or other alternatives to losing your license.