Do you personally know someone who has lost his/her license?

[TheCommuter]

Do any of you personally know an individual who has lost his/her license to practice nursing or medicine?

Let me start. I once worked with an RN who was on my state's peer assistance program, which is designed to keep nurses employed who have had previous or current issues with addiction to drugs or alcohol. This nurse specifically had an addiction to hydrocodone. After the formal charges appeared on her license, no hospital in the area would hire her. Therefore, she had to accept employment as a charge nurse at a nursing home.

Unfortunately, she did not complete all the terms of the peer assistance program successfully, and her license was revoked a couple of years ago. She had not been a nurse for very long, and was youngish (in her 30s).

[oregonchinamom]

I worked with a nurse that was diverting/stealing drugs for her addict husband. The BON was not quite sure what to do with her since she herself was not addicted. She eventually lost her license.

I also knew a physician that had addiction issues. She eventually surrendered her license rather than face losing it.

Sadly, I also know a nurse that lost her license due to a head injury. The doctor would not sign off and I have to sadly agree. She would not be safe.

[softstorms]

Hard Question! I have known many who come into question and have not been in the line of fire. Others...who have been ..very open...and still not been questioned. I am really sorry to say it may be a game of numbers and politics.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

Be surprised how many nurses havent a clue how fragile your licensure is. It isnt just for diversion or addiction that nurses end up under suspension for. I had a 4 month suspension and 2 years probation 20 years ago over something as simple as Mylanta!! 4 in the morning in ICU and the pt wanted Mylanta not the standing order Maalox ordered since he routinely took Mylanta at home. I wrote the order and was in process of taking a dose in to him. My pt in the next cubicle pulled out his trach and I set the mylanta down on the bedside table and asked my tech to ensure Mr. So-So drank his mylanta will I tended to the other pts emergency as I was also the only RN in the 6 bed Burn ICU that night. This particular tech I had terminated from a previous job 6 months before at another facility. She called boards and turned me in for "allowing a non-licensed person to administer a medication". Something I would have never considered an issue in relation to a simple over the counter med like mylanta as I poured it, delivered it to the pt, but asked her to monitor his ingestion so I could tend to an emergency. Dont take it for granted it's ONLY the big stuff you can get suspensions for. It can very be the little things we take for granted every day as a nurse. I see nurses doing these same "little" actions every day and then get grief because I wont let those "little" things slide. I paid for it dearly. Consider the other things that can cost you your livelyhood it isnt always diversions, med errors, or the biggies you think. A venegeful co-worker can also be your downfall.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have another true tale about loss of licensure. This occurred in 2008.

My former coworker and his wife are both nurses (LVNs). My coworker's wife had an addiction to pain medications, especially hydrocodone, and diverted it from every facility that employed her in recent years. The DON at one of the facilities decided to report her to the state BON for diverting a bottle of Lortab elixir and, pretty soon thereafter, the attorney general was pursuing this lady. Instead of fighting the battle, she decided to voluntarily surrender her license to the BON.