Does your license to practice get taken away immediately when you get letter from the board of nursing?

[smc26448]

I am in Virginia. I do not have a board of nursing monitoring contract yet.  I was told that I was going to reported last August/Sept. so 9/10 months ago, but not sure what will happen and when. I have been sober since then and found work as a nurse. Nobody from the BON has contacted me yet but I know it can take forever. I work a contract nursing job now and wanted to be prepared for when I have to tell my employer I'm leaving so I don't leave my 1-1 pediatric patient in a situation where there is a lapse in care. I know that the board will send you a certified letter about the investigation and a date. Are you allowed to work as a nurse up until that date or once you get the letter about the hearing, you're revoked? In addition, how long did you have between receiving the letter and the hearing? Do they provide you what the investigation findings are so that you can prepare or do you go in blind and find it all out when you go in front of the board? For those who had to leave their jobs, did you tell them why you're leaving or kept it vague? I am with a contract/staffing agency so don't think they'd keep me anyway once this all goes down.  In addition, for those who know when they were reported, how long before you received any contact from the BON? This is so stressful! Any information is appreciated!! 

[SheelaDavis]

1. Your license isn't going ro be revoked. If you did something so aggregious that is cause for Revoking a license, you would have got a desist order immediately and would have been told within days of the complaint.

2. Is there a chance your license is suspended or put on probation after 9 or 10 months? Yep, there is, but you can continue practicing until the investigation is done and the BON decides what discipline is necessary UNLESS the letter you get tells you to immediately stop practicing. It's unlikely the letter informing you an investigation has been opened will tell you to stop practicing. Is it possible? Yep, it is. Is it likely after 9 or 10 months? Nope, it's not likely.

3. The BON can take up to 2 years sometimes to Inform you an investigation has been opened on you. Yes, 2 years or more in some cases. Usually, it's less than 1 year. Keyword.....usually.

4. They inform you about what you are being investigated for. You can prepare and won't go in blind. The hearing is usually within 60 days from the time you receive the letter. Much of that depends on the BONs schedule/slots available.

5. You sound like..... by the way you are writing, that you are guilty of something and that it's obviousthe BON had enough evidence on you to give discipline. If you deep down know this is true, then you should get into a monitoring program in VA. Why? The BON (assuming you are clearly guilty) will require monitoring if your issue is substance related. Your time with the BON starts and ends from the day you enter monitoring, not from the date of your consent order. Let's say 1 year passes by from today before you get a contract and that contract says you need 5 years of monitoring. You will have wasted 1 year and 9 months. If you start now in monitoring, you get the clock started which means it ends sooner.