Attorney role for BON

[LPN_mn]

I was wondering what is the attorney role when going before the board of nursing. What exactly do they do?

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

At many board of nursing disciplinary proceedings, attorneys are present on each side. Both the BON and the nurse under investigation often have legal representation to help argue their cases.

[henayneiCLNC]

YOUR attorney's job is the same it would be for any other legal proceeding - to research and present your case clearly and effectively - I suppose you could chose to go before the BON without an attorney - but in the legal practice they have a saying "he who has himself as his attorney has a fool for a client"

[LPN_mn]

Thanks for the replies. I was just curious about that. I have always heard that you need an attorney but was wondering what exactly they do.

[hollyvk, BSN]

I was wondering what is the attorney role when going before the board of nursing. What exactly do they do?

The board of nursing (BON) will be represented by a government attorney (usually from the state's attorney general office). That attorney (usually an assistant attorney general = AAG) knows the nurse practice act law inside out plus all pertinent administrative law and rules.

Any nurse dealing with a complain filed by the BON should have an attorney in order to get the best result possible in the given situation. Your attorney should be experienced in administrative law and should be able to negotiate a satifactory resolution of the complaint (e.g., temporary suspension of license, psychological counseling, rehab, additional training, clinical practice supervision).

Many nurses fail to realize that their license to practice nursing has real economic value to them and is well worth the price of an attorney to defend it before the BON.

HollyVK, RN, BSN, JD

[henayneiCLNC]

good point holly!