RN License in Jeopardy?

mindlor · Apr 30, 2011

Just be very familiar with the Nurse Practice Act in your state, be aware of your scope of practice and do not do anything that would violate those things.

Do not be afraid to push back on management.

Many times however this may involve voluntarily leaving a position. it is better to be an unemployed RN looking for work then an unemployed defendent that lost the RN license...

Protect your license because I assure you, most employers will push it to the limit.

croppyRN · Apr 30, 2011

Dear mindlor,

Thanks for the quick, very sound advice! I will re-read the NPA for my state and proceed.....carefully!:)

caliotter3 · Apr 30, 2011

You have to be aware of your surroundings, aware of your coworkers, to include the CNAs, and aware of yourself to survive in LTC. It also does not hurt to continue to look for another area to work in if you find your present employer to be off the charts in terms of problems.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2011

Your biggest protection is good documentation. Do thorough assessments. If staff report a problem with a resident, docoument when what the problem was, your assessment, and your follow up actions. Document each time you called a doc and what was said. Write down everything you think it important so, if it even comes to it, your documentation will show you took the appropriate steps to promote good care.

Also, don't be afraid to ask for help if you are feeling overwhelmed.

iceprincess492 · Apr 30, 2011

This question is just another example of the perception that nurses give of LTC facilities. I have been in LTC for 15 years and have known only one nurse to lose their license and that was related to stealing drugs from the facility. It would be interesting to see what specialty has the highest incidence of nurses losing their license. I don't know about other states but in Ohio they send out a magazine and it includes all of the disciplinary actions the BON has taken against nurses, and 99% of them are related to stealing/taking/selling narcotics.

You may or may not like LTC but you should not have to worry about losing your license. Like another poster said documentation is everything. If it's not documented it wasn't done. The best advice I give the nurses in my facility is if you are going to document a problem your res is having always document what is being done about it.

Good luck to you!! I hope you like LTC as much as I do and if not I hope you find your niche :)

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Apr 30, 2011

I agree with iceprincess. Protecting your license is necessary but the BON does not exist to revoke licenses. If you know your job, do your job, and don't do something you know to be wrong you will most likely never have a problem.

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 30, 2011

This question is just another example of the perception that nurses give of LTC facilities. I have been in LTC for 15 years and have known only one nurse to lose their license and that was related to stealing drugs from the facility. It would be interesting to see what specialty has the highest incidence of nurses losing their license. I don't know about other states but in Ohio they send out a magazine and it includes all of the disciplinary actions the BON has taken against nurses, and 99% of them are related to stealing/taking/selling narcotics.
You may or may not like LTC but you should not have to worry about losing your license. Like another poster said documentation is everything. If it's not documented it wasn't done. The best advice I give the nurses in my facility is if you are going to document a problem your res is having always document what is being done about it.
Good luck to you!! I hope you like LTC as much as I do and if not I hope you find your niche :)

Interesting that you say this, I couldnt agree with you more. There is really a negative image/stigma associated with LTC. Ive worked at 3, early in my nursing career - 1 fit the negative stereotypes, the 2nd was new and was rather unorganized (but to be expected in a newly opened facility), but my very 1st experience in LTC was great! I dont think I can say the name of the facility, BUT if I had to recommend a LTC facility, that would be the place. They treated their staff with the upmost respect (the proof was in the longevity, many people had been with the facility 10+ years). We werent understaffed (call outs were handled with temps, mgmt, prns or whoever and done promptly), we were commended for great work, and poor work performance wasnt tolerated - which in my opinion made it an excellent place to work. They offered bonuses and incentatives. I kicked myself in the butt for leaving (for more pay), I contributed that to being young and naive and thinking every place would be like that. Sure they werent perfect, what facility is? But I can remember more good than bad. With that said, you could be headed to a great facility also, the advice that has been given is great. Just follow the NPA, document, document, document, take your time - I hope it all works out :)

N.U.R.S.E. · Apr 30, 2011

Dear ice princess868 how do u keep up the pace in ltc need to know what kind of scedule u are on need help prioritizing and keeping it all together

steacer · Apr 30, 2011

regarding documentation as important as it is to document on the patient's chart if there's a situation that you fear might come back to haunt you it's worthwhile keeping your own more thorough record, in case you're called to court about it, whether it's an attack on your license or not. I don't work in long term care, I'm in acute care, but when there's an iffy situation I send an email to myself later that day (because I move around a lot... so I don't lose a journal. hopefully gmail's servers don't crash when I need them). ie/ I was working in CCU one day and we had an atypical aortic disection presentation and it wasn't identified until we had treated him for a heart attack,... all those blood thinners are the last thing you want on board when you're going for surgery,... it ended up prolonging his stay (I'm not sure if he has residual complications) and if it goes to court I have more information to supplement what I documented

billyboblewis · Apr 30, 2011

Interesting discussion. Generally you have to do something very dangerous or stupid to endanger your license. Even the use of drugs does not cause you to lose it automaticly. Try to build up some self confidence and follow the suggestions of others on this post.

iceprincess492 · May 1, 2011

Dear ice princess868 how do u keep up the pace in ltc need to know what kind of scedule u are on need help prioritizing and keeping it all together

It just takes a lot of practice :) Every shift that you work you will get faster and more confident in your abilities. I remember when I was in my first job i would leave work everyday so thirsty I would go across the street, get a huge water and drink it in about 5 min, because I didn't even take time to get a drink during my shift LOL. Eventually you will develop a routine and be able to get everything done. Not saying you won't have shifts where it is impossible to get everything done during your shift cuz you definitely will.

My daughter just graduated from nursing school and is working in LTC ( about a month now) and I get so many phone calls I feel like I'm going through being a new nurse all over again :eek: It will get better. I always tell my new nurses that it will take about 6 months before you are not petrified before every shift and another 6 months before you are looking forward to going to work to see your residents...but you will get there :)