aftermath?

Nurses General Nursing

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back in 2004, when i had my ADN with 2 years experience in the hospital setting, i along with others in my hospital were named in a lawsuit where we were represented by hospital lawyers and deposed that same year. I was the primary nurse of the patient. In early 2006, after the case settled, my lawyer accompanied me to a mandatory meeting with a peace officer who questioned the events that took place back in 2004 which resulted in a long term disability of the patient. from my understanding, that peace officer would collect my statement, copies of my deposition, etc. and submit the information to the board of registered nursing (brn) for careful review. after that meeting with the peace officer, that was the last i ever heard of the lawsuit. it is now nearing the middle of 2007 and am curious as to how long the california board of registered nursing determines whether or not actions will be taken on my license. i remember my lawyer telling me not to contact the BRN once my statement with the peace officer was given back in 2006. i have no idea the time frame as to when this case will officially close. anyone have insight or experiece or even a ballpark figure as to this waiting game? incidentally, I was never reprimanded by my hospital for the lawsuit brought upon the organization by the family members of the patient. In fact just last year i was promoted to assistant clinical director. i feel clueless and stuck in limbo for the last few months. i want to persue my BSN and eventually venture out to administration nursing but i would like to know if my license is still at risk - otherwise i will just put by persuit of my bsn on the backburner until i know the result of the board of registered nursings decision. and even if no actions whatsoever will occur, will i get some sort of notification from the nursing board that my case review is over? how can i get any closure if i cant even contact the brn as my lawyer at the time advised?

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also, thank you everyone in advnace for any of your replies.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

I'm not sure of the laws in California, so I really can't help you there. I just can't understand why the lawyers said not to contact the BRN? Did they give a reason?

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the reason i was told not to contact the board is because my lawyer stated that if i did, that would either "red-flag" the board of nursing that i am somehow admitting guilt OR make my file more prevalent and more vulnerable during review when the person i spoke with over the phone regarding my inquiries of the case finally gets to sit down and review my file.

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The CA BON received a complaint about me in early 1999. That summer an investigator from the state attorney general's office showed up on my doorstep to interview me. In October 2000 I received the official complaint from the Atty Gen office. In early 2001 we reached an agreement.

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how did you get word that the bon and you reached a agreement? was it a phone call that you made or formal letter in the mail? when the attorney general showed up at your doorstep, did you have a lawyer present? did anything happen to your license?

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The investigator was by herself and I could have refused to speak with her. I did not get my atty involved until I got the official complaint. The first notification I got about the agreement was from my atty, and then I got an official letter in the mail. My license was disciplined but the circumstances were nothing like yours. I was disciplined for narcotic diversion.

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