Does probation always mean nurse license suspension?

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Specializes in Psych.

Is getting placed on probation the most common disciplinary action the state board of nursing takes?

This unfortunate situation is all very new to me, I just received notice from the state Board of nursing yesterday that I complaint was filed against me. As I'm sure most of you all did, I have been googling and researching everything on what could possibly happen to me, my Nursing license, all possible outcomes, different scenarios, trying to find a story similar to mine that had a happy ending...etc. 

My question is: when a nurse is placed on probation, does that mean that their license is going to definitely be suspended for a period of time? Or are there different types of probation, one where a nurse wouldn't loose their license? I'm not sure if I am asking that correctly.

Yes, believe me I am in the process of retaining a lawyer to represent me. And once I do meet with them, I will be sure to ask them all of my questions, but is really getting the best of me.

Is there anyone that was able to keep their nursing license but still have conditions??

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Specializes in Mental health, Critical Care, Nurse Educator du.

What state are you in?

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Specializes in Psych.

Nevada 

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I had to get a note from my Dr saying I was safe to practice and then pay a fine, I had self enrolled in TPAPN so I had already gotten my letter from my Dr and then I was board ordered to complete TPAPN and they suspended my license until I submitted my letter and paid the fine but it was literally only suspended for 1 day

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Specializes in Psych.
TIMFY said:

I had to get a note from my Dr saying I was safe to practice and then pay a fine, I had self enrolled in TPAPN so I had already gotten my letter from my Dr and then I was board ordered to complete TPAPN and they suspended my license until I submitted my letter and paid the fine but it was literally only suspended for 1 day

I just looked up what TPAPN is. Were you on probation? Did a lawyer advise you to self enroll? 

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Check Disciplinary Actions List - Nevada State Board of Nursing to see past actions

Quote

Disciplinary action can include denial, reprimand fee, suspension, probation , or revocation of a license or certificate. The Board considers each case individually.

Yikes! My Nursing License Has Been Placed On Probation

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My state (SC) is moving to the physician model or slowly towards it anyway.  In that model, you most likely will need monitoring but it's not called probation anymore.  It's called a "condition on a license" or a "consent order."  Main order being that you do monitoring which includes all of the things we complain about here (urine etg, peth tests, 3-5 AA/NA meetings per week, individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatrist or whatever they want to pile on you and drain your bank account).  

The severity of the "incident" or "case" will determine if you get your license suspended for a period of time.  Many times it will be suspended for up to a year and you can start working again after that while your monitoring keeps going.  Many times, whether you get suspended or not or the length of it will depend on a good lawyer.  As bad as it sounds, spending money on a lawyer helps "lessen" the severity of it all.  It's all a scam system.

I've actually seen licenses not being suspended but the monitoring starts for 5 years and you just work through that.   This is how many physicians, pharmacists and PAs program do.

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Universe93B said:

My state (SC) is moving to the physician model or slowly towards it anyway.  In that model, you most likely will need monitoring but it's not called probation anymore.  It's called a "condition on a license" or a "consent order."  Main order being that you do monitoring which includes all of the things we complain about here (urine etg, peth tests, 3-5 AA/NA meetings per week, individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatrist or whatever they want to pile on you and drain your bank account).  

The severity of the "incident" or "case" will determine if you get your license suspended for a period of time.  Many times it will be suspended for up to a year and you can start working again after that while your monitoring keeps going.  Many times, whether you get suspended or not or the length of it will depend on a good lawyer.  As bad as it sounds, spending money on a lawyer helps "lessen" the severity of it all.  It's all a scam system.

I've actually seen licenses not being suspended but the monitoring starts for 5 years and you just work through that.   This is how many physicians, pharmacists and PAs program do.

I reported a RN a month ago who mixed pills and alcohol and shot herself in the wrist while her two children were home with her. CPS determined there to be a "reason to believe" that "neglectful supervision" occurred that night, but since neither child was physically harmed, they still live with her primarily. In the referral, I included video evidence of her passing out on a YouTube livestream while drinking a mike's harder lemonade. I also included dozens of screenshots from her social media accounts from 2017 onwards where she admits to having alcoholism and a severe eating disorder that she regularly loses consciousness from (both in public and in private). Of those screenshots, there are posts detailing her passing out while working a clinical shift at the hospital. She fell and busted her face open pretty badly, but was able to shrug it off as a freak accident when her nursing professor asked why she fainted. I included our cps caseworker's contact info. Our cps caseworker informed us that she lied to the psychiatrists at the mental hospital claiming that the gun fired by accident, when the police report clearly states that she drew a target on her wrist, told her friend she was "going outside to smoke a cigarette and if they hear a gunshot to call 911". 

 

sorry for the book, I just wanna know, in your experience, will all of this evidence result in an immediate license suspension? In your opinion, what do you think will happen to this nurse? She's also planning on moving thousands of miles away to Hawaii, where she has zero support systems, to work. TIA

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SureJan said:

I reported a RN a month ago who mixed pills and alcohol and shot herself in the wrist while her two children were home with her. CPS determined there to be a "reason to believe" that "neglectful supervision" occurred that night, but since neither child was physically harmed, they still live with her primarily. In the referral, I included video evidence of her passing out on a YouTube livestream while drinking a mike's harder lemonade. I also included dozens of screenshots from her social media accounts from 2017 onwards where she admits to having alcoholism and a severe eating disorder that she regularly loses consciousness from (both in public and in private). Of those screenshots, there are posts detailing her passing out while working a clinical shift at the hospital. She fell and busted her face open pretty badly, but was able to shrug it off as a freak accident when her nursing professor asked why she fainted. I included our cps caseworker's contact info. Our cps caseworker informed us that she lied to the psychiatrists at the mental hospital claiming that the gun fired by accident, when the police report clearly states that she drew a target on her wrist, told her friend she was "going outside to smoke a cigarette and if they hear a gunshot to call 911". 

 

sorry for the book, I just wanna know, in your experience, will all of this evidence result in an immediate license suspension? In your opinion, what do you think will happen to this nurse? She's also planning on moving thousands of miles away to Hawaii, where she has zero support systems, to work. TIA

Lessons for anyone reading 

Don't post stuff on social media like this. Lock your Facebook profile. Don't "friend " coworkers on Facebook. 

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NurseMarplay said:

I just looked up what TPAPN is. Were you on probation? Did a lawyer advise you to self enroll? 

I was on probation and he did advise me to self enroll but I did not (and then was board ordered to enroll).

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Healer555 said:

Lessons for anyone reading 

Don't post stuff on social media like this. Lock your Facebook profile. Don't "friend " coworkers on Facebook. 

Yes. That is exactly the lesson you all should take away from this: just get better at hiding your severe mental illnesses and addictions so that your friends and family are less likely/able to help you when you need it most. 

She posted under a pseudonym, so she thought she was in the clear, but she's not as sneaky as she thinks she is.

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SureJan said:

Yes. That is exactly the lesson you all should take away from this: just get better at hiding your severe mental illnesses and addictions so that your friends and family are less likely/able to help you when you need it most. 

She posted under a pseudonym, so she thought she was in the clear, but she's not as sneaky as she thinks she is.

Lesson was don't air your dirty laundry on social media.  That's all.

The nurse you described seems to really need help and I hope she gets it. 

Nothing sneaky about using a pseudonym.  I don't think your name is really surejan. 

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