Long Island nurse license defense lawyers

No matter who you are, you may find yourself needing a lawyer at some point. New York has imposed many laws to help protect patients from medical professionals deemed incompetent. Unfortunately, the laws are so complex and strict the many medical professionals and nurses risk the loss of their license because of simple mistakes. To make things worse, patients can accuse nurses of doing something they did not do and they may still lose their medical license.

The approach for preventing this is to work with a reputable and experienced nurse license defense lawyer who can protect you and your professional career. It is important to work with a firm that has a lot of experience helping nurses in the Long Island area defend false charges against them and be able to keep their license while facing charges or untrue accusations.

Why You May Risk Losing Your Long Island Nursing License

Without the help of an experienced defense lawyer, there are many reasons a nurse could potentially lose their license. Some accusations may simply result in the licensing board giving out disciplinary action. In addition to that, some accusations could result in criminal charges as well.

Sexual Violations

Many nurses end up encountering false accusations of inappropriate sexual touching or sexual advances. Touching a patient is part of a nurse’s job. Unfortunately, many patients are not honest about how they feel when a nurse touches them and end up accusing them of serious charges.

Violations Revolving Around Standard of Care

Nurses are often accused of neglecting or mistreating patients. Whether by mistake or from misinformation, a nurse may forget to offer a certain type of care to their patients. In certain cases, medical professionals and doctors may order nurses to perform certain procedures or offer specific care to a patient. When nurses are not properly notified about these, they may end up being accused of violating the standard of care.

Theft and Fraud

Fraud is often a more common accusation against nurses in long-term care centers. However, it can also happen in in-home care and hospitals. Some of the patients that nurses deal with are confused or sick and may wrongly accuse their nurse of stealing their belongings. Nurses can often be wrongly accused of fraud when a patient feels their nurse is being dishonest.

Forgery and Falsification

Another defense a nurse may need help with from a lawyer is when they are accused of falsifying chart data, medication prescriptions or medication administration records. They may also get accused of forging a patient or doctor’s signature. These types of accusations can be hard to counter. Thankfully, a good lawyer knows how to choose the defenses that will help keep a license from being revoked.

Alcohol and Drug Use

People from all walks of life and every profession struggle with chemical dependencies. However, when a nurse is caught using drugs or drinking alcohol at work or working when intoxicated, they can put the lives of their patients in danger. Hospitals, in-home care companies and other facilities are strict about these rules. Being accused of drug or alcohol use while at work can result in actions being taken by the licensing board. In some cases, there are options available for nurses who choose to seek treatment.

Failure To Meet Licensing Requirements

To keep working, nurses are required to stay updated with their state licensing requirements. This may involve paying fees and seeking continuing education. There have been cases where a nurse sends their fee by mail and it gets lost. Obtaining help from a license defense lawyer can help prevent a nurse from losing their license or having to face many months a hardship trying to earn it back.

Malpractice

A malpractice suit can be brought against a nurse for many things such as failing to tell a patient test results or giving them the wrong medication. Thankfully, many malpractice suits get thrown out of court because of a lack of proof. However, to ensure a nurse keeps their license, it is important to hire the help of a professional defense lawyer.

Criminal Offenses

When a nurse is being charged with a criminal offense, it should be taken seriously. It does not matter whether it is true or not. Nurses should never admit to a crime or accept blame for their coworkers. When criminal charges for sexual molestation, theft or other serious offense are filed, the matter should only be discussed with your attorney. Long Island nurse defense lawyers will keep all information you tell them confidential.

Penalties for Charges and Accusations Against Nurses

Nurses are accused of things every year. Without a good attorney, it can be difficult to beat those false accusations or charges. Penalties for these can include reprimand, probation, revocation of license, suspension, restriction, rectification and fines. When criminal charges are involved, additional penalties may be added by the court.

Facing accusations or charges as a nurse without a reputable lawyer can be risky. Some nurses may end up with the revocation of their license and a huge hit to their reputation. The only way to protect your reputation, license and future will be to hire the help of an experienced nurse license defense lawyer.