Oh no! Prohibited to Practice Letter

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hey all!

I have already been hired to a position in the emergency department and just finished my first week of orientation and one day on the floor with my preceptor. I was feeling so good and looking forward to my next week on the floor as a new nurse. Unfortunately I received a letter from the state of Illinois stating that I am PROHIBITED FROM PRACTICING. I am scheduled to work in the morning at 7am on Sunday and I don't know what to do! Before I sent my money order for my license I was granted permission to Practice Under Supervision for three months as a license pending professional nurse. Does anyone have any advice on what is going to happen next? Will I be sent home from my shift tomorrow, and until I can get my license? Will they allow me to continue working under supervision and give me time to get this straightened out? I am so upset this is happening when I have already started the job and do not want to lose it! Please help! I need advice.

roser13, ASN, RN

6,504 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Perhaps you could explain why you received this letter? What's the issue?

However, without having any idea why you received the letter, the phrase PROHIBITED FROM PRACTICING seems clear.

MunoRN, RN

8,058 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care.

Have you ever had a license to practice nursing? It's sounds as though you haven't, which means you can't practice independently as a nurse.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Ask your employer if you can have a 'leave of absence' status while getting this straightened out. You can always resign, or they can terminate your employment later if this does not resolve favorably.

Scottishtape

561 Posts

Yeah.... if the BON tells me I'm prohibited from practicing, you won't find my butt on the floor until that's worked out.

Better to have patience now, then screw yourself in the future for practicing without a license.

Ruas61, BSN, RN

1,368 Posts

Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Call off for the morning. Call the board Monday when the phones go live.

Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Did you fail the NCLEX? If you were granted a temporary GN licensure and then failed the NCLEX, that licensure would be revoked.

If there is is no reason for this prohibition explained in the letter, you need to first figure out why you received it by calling the BON. If you're sure it's some kind of misunderstanding, I would still go to work, but bring the letter and immediately discuss it with the charge nurse or nursing supervisor on call. They may allow you to just stay and observe, do online learning, etc. so you aren't practicing but you don't get penalized for missing an orientation day.

Jules A, MSN

8,864 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I agree if there isn't anything you can think of that would prohibit you from practicing like failing NCLEX or a criminal history I would recommend bringing the letter to work Monday and discuss with my employer rather than trying to dodge it or appear unprofessional by calling out on orientation. Hopefully you will be able to observe until you can get in touch with the BON and get it straightened out.

Libby1987

3,726 Posts

The shift is covered either way by the preceptor?

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

If you have RN on your badge, do not clock in with it while this is going on. You do not want to spend one minute on the clock as an RN if the board of nursing says otherwise. Your employer cannot override the board. If they try to, get it in writing (I can assure you they won't do that), not that it'll help one bit. But they can issue you another badge with an alternate title while keeping the same wages if they choose to. Just show up on time as you normally would. If your employer won't make the title change, all it would take is for word to leak out to that one co-worker willing to make that phone call to the board and you're charged with impersonating a nurse.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. But for now and until this is cleared up, get everything in writing. You're in a precarious situation. Your documentation (such as the letter you received) will be your supporting documentation to guide your actions and possibly your saving grace. Good luck with this!!

Ruas61, BSN, RN

1,368 Posts

Specializes in MDS/ UR.

I would not go to work on a Sunday waving a letter that told me not to practice.

I would rather take the hit of a call off gossip than advertising the do not practice letter to regular staff.

This needs to be presented to the right level of management which is unlikely to be there on Sunday morning.

I can't imagine how complicated this may or may not be but I think trying to 'work' even as an observer is not a good move.

TriciaJ, RN

4,328 Posts

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Hopefully you have already informed your employer of the letter you have received so that neither of you is breaking the law and you aren't leaving them in the dark. Then it's up to your employer to decide how to handle this until you can get more information from the BON. But they will not let you practice as a nurse, nor should you be willing to.

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