How easy is it to lose your nursing license?

Nurses Career Support Nursing Q/A

Is it something that you worry about day to day? Every move you make could wind up to you losing your license?

Specializes in LTC (LPN-RN).

WOW! You should put this story up as a thread. I am shocked that the process to destroy someone could be so cruel and quick. You go ahead with that Law degree and make something into this story.

Let me tell all of you out there..........its a LOT easier than you think. Six years ago (during my 22nd year of nursing, and closing in on my 50th birthday) I "turned" a surgeon "in" for doing some things during surgery that were.......well, HORRIFIC, at best. This doctor, along with a very bad set of members sitting on the board of nursing, subsequently DESTROYED my life.

With in 2 weeks of going to the "uppers", I'd lost my job and my license. You see, somehow I was forced to take a drug screen, with in 3 hours of speaking to the uppers, and I failed. Now, I knew I would fail it, and so did they, I told them I would and showed them my prescription. You see, at that particular time, I was undergoing my 4th round of chemotherapy for breast cancer. (**3 years and 3 months cancer FREE, by the way)! So, I simply provided them with my prescription number! End of story, right? WRONG! Within 48 hours I received a letter from my employer asking that I resign for "unprofessional conduct" (WHAT)?.......And if that wasn't enough, I also received an emergency suspension letter from the board of nursing because I tested positive without a prescription for opiates! NO ****, folks! The letter also demanded that I appear before the board.

OK, "no problem", I thought, "I will just bring that damn prescription with me when I go in front of the board". WRONG!

Hindsight........I actually had some crazy idea that they would actually allow me to speak or that I could hand over the copy of my prescription and or the bottle...which by the way was 4 months old by that time, and had 4 of the original 90 pills missing out of it. I figured they would be 100% "FAIR", and at the very least allow me the opportunity to present my side of the facts, right? WRONG! You see, I made the grave error of showing up without an attorney. And when I say the board didn't give a ****, that is the understatement of the century! They not only didn't give a ****, but they belittled and humiliated me. These were trumped up allegations of "narcotic abuse", but they simply refused to believe that anyone could be innocent of a physicians "charges". Yep, my doctor friend was ONE of the culprits behind it. The whole experience was nauseating, devastating and eye-opening. I could not believe how amotional, heartless and uncaring the board of NURSING actually was.

This was SIX and a half years ago: I still have no license. I appealed, and LOST. Again, no attorney. I was even sent to a psychiatric evaluation through IPN, and (the psychiatrist was 50 times kinder than the board of nursing, a contradiction.......huh)? Anyway, after being poked, prodded and evaluated, I told the psychiatrist the whole story and even provided her with a copy of the prescription in question. She subsequently wrote a letter to the board, on MY behalf and also told IPN to close my case, citing, "the client does NOT need any further evaluation, counseling or drug testing of any kind and is also perfectly capable of practicing nursing in a safe manner". So, IPN did close my case. End of story, right?

WRONG! I STILL have no license. You see, I will NOT allow them to leave that "discipline" on my license. Period. I will surrender my nursing license before I admit to ANY wrongdoing. I just cant admit that I did anything but the "right thing" by turning a doctor in for using drugs. I won't.

Yes, it is now almost SEVEN years from the day I lost my license! However, all was not a total loss, as I have started my 1st year of law school! Why? Well, you all know exactly why, now! And, I will NOT do what many of the lawyers did to me when I was in dire straights, and that is, charge a retainer fee that is so high, no unemployed nurse could ever afford it.

I will get my license back, and I WILL finish law school. And when I do..........watch out, Board, cause I'm coming. I absolutely cannot and will not "quit" until there is some sort of change made to the boards "guilty-until-we-think-you-are-innocent-regardless-of-the-evidence-provided", practices.

My NEW goal in life, aside from returning to work as a nurse (if and when I want), is to eventually make those a-motional, mistrusting, "everyone-is-guilty-until-proven-innocent" people, who are nothing when separated, but are the epitome of evil as a group.

So, ladies and gentlemen, BEWARE. Doing the right thing can get you into the same position that I am currently in. I highly recommend having legal insurance.........even if you have to work an extra few hours a month to afford it. Because, as you can plainly see, one doctors wrong doing can easily become your undoing!

****** OFF OLD LADY on a MISSION

So, ladies and gentlemen, BEWARE. Doing the right thing can get you into the same position that I am currently in. I highly recommend having legal insurance.........even if you have to work an extra few hours a month to afford it. Because, as you can plainly see, one doctors wrong doing can easily become your undoing!

****** OFF OLD LADY on a MISSION

I am so glad you are not sitting back and letting the Dr and admin get away with this! I live in a small town and have been around long enough to hear stories that would make your toes curl. I think it's reprehensible to do the right thing and be punished for it.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I think about it every single minute of every shift. And you SHOULD be thinking about it all the time as well.

You are responsible for ur license and your practice towards your patients, the relatives and other nurses. No-one else, I tell my students, you, you and only you can be a responsible RN. You can either be a **** nurse, or a good nurse there's no other choice.

I always imagine myself in court or that there's a camera or lawyer looking over my shoulder, never fails to scare the bejeesus out of me.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
So, ladies and gentlemen, BEWARE. Doing the right thing can get you into the same position that I am currently in. I highly recommend having legal insurance.........even if you have to work an extra few hours a month to afford it. Because, as you can plainly see, one doctors wrong doing can easily become your undoing!

****** OFF OLD LADY on a MISSION

I am so glad you are not sitting back and letting the Dr and admin get away with this! I live in a small town and have been around long enough to hear stories that would make your toes curl. I think it's reprehensible to do the right thing and be punished for it.

Yes I worked in my old small town at the hospital there - never, ever again as long as I live will I put my license on the line or go back to that appalling place. The surgeons and wounds and scars, infections etc were absolutely horrific. Management just turned a blind eye. All the nurses knew and socialised with each other and their hubby's all knew/worked together. It was an absolute nightmare. And bullying was rife as well. I literally felt when I was working there that I couldn't breathe properly because of the backstabbing atmosphere. I even got told off one day for being in the toilet and I had been BURSTING to go. I told them not to be so pathetic. And also have nurse managers ring you up after u called in sick (I only was sick once or twice), screaming down the phone at you and leaving abusive messages on my answer service.

It was lovely quitting there and ringing the NM telling her and saying if she ever abused me again, I would report her formally to the nurses' board and go to the police. She was silent then didn't quite know what to say. I don't think anyone had ever stood up to her before, gee it was SO GOOD telling her exactly what I thought of her!

The older nurses were all institutionalised to bad habits, slacking off, leaving early 'cos they're management' and it's a small town and they got away with it. No-one and I mean no-one when I was there, spoke back to them or made complaints except me. Of course some of my leave I'd asked for got cancelled, I had nasty remarks etc thrown at me and extra work. What a pathetic, narcissistic, dangerous, unhappy bunch those small town nurses were. They didn't deserve the title of nurse.

I would never, ever in my life work in a small town hospital again - it makes me break into a cold sweat just thinking about it.

All this BS and stress and money I paid into a lawyer too little too late, though), and I finally got my say at the board of nursing. Although it was clearly noted that the allegations were 100% proven FALSE, there is nothing I can do. It is TOO LATE. I did not go about things in the proper legal way (had I know all I had to do was say, oh yeah, I'm a drug addict and go to IPN then that would have been absolutely the end of it....in fact, I would have done it in a heart beat). Problem is, I wasn't told anything about anything.....and I was so naive, I honestly didn't even know what IPN was or that it even existed. That, and I was sick, cancer sick and truly thought that 'the truth would set me free'. WRONG.

Now, the board is fully aware that these werent true.....and in a phone conversation I was told "im sorry, it really is a travesty and a miscarriage of justice, but unfortunately, the discipline stays because you did not reply the proper legal way".

So, the chances of me getting a job with a discipline are slim to none, so I guess I forfeit. What choice do I have? Im far too embarrassed to apply anywhere then admit that "yes, I have a discipline...........but hear me out". Theyd think I was on drugs, LOL.

Im still seeking some legal way to be exonerated. There MUST be something..........somewhere......somehow. I have the proof........so much proof that the board member I spoke to actually apologized to me for the fact that the original board members refused to even let me speak at my initial hearing.

I'm completely deflated, and totally heartbroken over this. I was 6 years old when I knew I wanted to be a nurse, and not one time did I waiver from that plan. In fact, nursing school was a bit easier for me than others because I was so passionate about it and loved every single minute of it. I know in my heart that I was a fantastic nurse and I will forever miss it.

I feel like I've been beaten...........well, I have been, but I mean physically, too. It's been a LOOONG 6 years. In fact, its literally over, all but the crying.

If anyone out there has any recommendations (that is, legally), Im all for it. I actually thought about writing the governor........I was told that it stands because it was entered "in a legal appellate court", so wouldn't this be just like asking for a pardon. Or is this yet another stupid thought on my part?

Giving up.....

:(

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
All this BS and stress and money I paid into a lawyer 9too little too late, though), and I finally got my say at the board of nursing. Although it was clearly noted that the allegations were 100% proven FALSE, there is nothing I can do. It is TOO LATE. i did not go about things in the proper legal way (had I know all I had to do was say, oh yeah, I'm a drug addict and go to IPN then that would have been absolutely the end of it....in fact, I would have done it in a heart beat). Problem is, I wasn't told anything about anything.....and I was so naive, I honestly didn't even know what IPN was or that it even existed. That, and I was sick, cancer sick and truly thought that 'the truth would set me free'. WRONG.

Now, the board is fully aware that these werent true.....and in a phone conversation i was told "im sorry, it really is a travesty and a miscarriage of justice, but unfortunately, the discipline stays because you did not reply the proper legal way".

So, the chances of me getting a job with a discipline are slim to none, so I guess I forfeit. What choice do i have? Im far too embarrassed to apply anywhere then admit that "yes, i have a discipline...........but hear me out". Theyd think I was on drugs, lol.

Im still seeking some legal way to be exonerated. There MUST be something..........somewhere......somehow. I have the proof........so much proof that the board member I spoke to actually apologized to me for the fact that the original board members refused to even let me speak at my initial hearing.

I'm completely deflated, and totally heartbroken over this. I was 6 years old when I knew I wanted to be a nurse, and not one time did I waiver from that plan. In fact, nursing school was a bit easier for me than others because i was so passionate about it and loved every single minute of it. I know in my heart that I was a fantastic nurse and I will forever miss it.

I feel like Ive been beaten...........well, I have been, but I mean physically, too. its been a LOOONG 6 years. In fact, its literally over, all but the crying.

If anyone out there has any recommendations (that is, legally), Im all for it. I actually thought about writing the governor........I was told that it stands because it was entered "in a legal appellate court", so wouldn't this be just like asking for a pardon. Or is this yet another stupid thought on my part?

Giving up.....

:(

I'm so sorry to hear this. Come on now, there must be some other recourse you can follow. Have you got a state senator or MP you can ring and ask advice from? Or another nursing body - is there like a nurses' board you can go to? All can't be lost surely. I don't know what country ur from so it's a bit hard to give advice - r u from the the US?

Specializes in Hospice, ONC, Tele, Med Surg, Endo/Output.

If you report a doctor he/she will report you to the BRN and you will lose your license. Doctors are very powerful, have huge egos, and are not willing to lose all that cash and glory because a nurse-nothing reported them. Even the nicest MD will lose your license for you if you **** him off. Don't go there. Just look the other way or be prepared to relinquish your license if you are dead-set on pt advocacy. The BRN is there to sanction nurses and protect pts only. Nurses are on their own, no one to help them unless they shell out wheelbarrows full of cash to a lawyer.

Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.
I was wondering the same thing...lol. Oxycontin Immediate Release would make drug addicts VERY happy...they wouldnt' have crush up the tablets! And giving Oxycontin PRN is definitely a big no-no. I think the poster was confusing the two: Oxycontin and Oxy-IR. I see it happen at lot with the nurses I work with when it comes to the pain meds and different names.

Oxynorm = Oxycodone 'immediate release' , Oxycontin Modified relase , the ONLY meds that are allowed to be prescribed by Brand name in the trust i work for .

the regular script should be Oxycontin and the PRN script Oxynorm

Specializes in neurosurgery, cardiology, rehab, LTC,.

I call them. They get paid to answer their pagers. They are the ones who have to know about the pt's condition. And when they start to yell... I ask them "I'm sorry...I'm writing this down to put in my nurses notes... are you saying you don't want to give the pt anything?" ... tah duh!!! instant Rx...and a curt goodbye :) Get a tough skin. It is YOUR license too and remember the doctor will NOT be in your corner. They can always say "The nurse never informed me of the problem." and there goes any leg you have to stand on in court. Cover your a**. Always... nobody else will do it for you.

Specializes in Emergency, Haematology/Oncology.

"let me tell all of you out there..........its a lot easier than you think. six years ago (during my 22nd year of nursing, and closing in on my 50th birthday) i "turned" a surgeon "in" for doing some things during surgery that were.......well, horrific, at best. this doctor, along with a very bad set of members sitting on the board of nursing, subsequently destroyed my life."

hey there, i know it is a little off topic for this thread but i just wanted to commend you on your sense of patient advocacy and guts. i would like to think that i would do exactly the same thing and although it sounds like it is a little more difficult to lose your license in australia, the life destroying thing happens also. it is a matter of public record here if you would ever like to read about it as it made the news persistently for years. a theatre nurse in a regional hospital watched an incompetent and dangerous surgeon essentially practise unchecked for years. the surgeon (it was discovered later) had been de-registered in america before coming here. he has since been found guilty of several counts of manslaughter. this nurse went through all the correct channels but because of the enormous power that physicians and institutions like hospitals hold, was subjected to all kinds of victimisation and politics. her and a doctor that she worked with systematically tried to have his patients transferred to other facilities just to ensure that he didn't operate on them! i think ultimately, the tertiary facility started asking questions and with the help of the doctor who was also aware of the giant mistakes this surgeon was making an investiagation commenced.

unfortunately, this particular nurse was so stressed and emotionally overwrought by the end of it, i am pretty sure she stopped nursing, what a loss. i shudder to think how many lives she saved by having the determination to do what she did. i am so sorry that this happened to you and commend you on refusing to practise when your name has been smeared- i wouldn't tolerate that either. we have to live with our actions, ethics and own set of morals. i reported a senior nurse (my mentor) for shooting up in the bathrooms, while in charge, when i was a grad and no-one would speak to me for months. i held my head high though, and still do, so should you. it's of small comfort but i have no doubt that you wouldn't have lost your registration here.

Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).
mlok said:
I know someone whose license got suspended because she accidentally gave dilaudid rather than the prescribed morphine. The pt ended up coding. I don't know whether the pt lived or not though.

She's currently taking refresher nursing courses to get her license back. Her license is suspended for 3 or 4 years. I don't remember exactly.

How the heck did she manage to do that? Wasn't there a Pyxsis? I know not every facility has one, but at our hospital we can't give a med that isn't prescribed unless we override some weird fangled thingy thing and I'm pretty sure the charge nurse is the only one who can do all of that stuff I just blabbered.

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