Losing your license

I think some Boards of Nursing actually publish the list of suspended members on their websites.

I think there are a list of 20-40 whose license get suspended or taken away. It is scary. I have to believe that if I am working within my realm of knowledge I will be ok.

Ohio publishes suspended and revoked licenses. Most of the time it's for drug diversion, testing positive on drug testing, and patient abuse.

While we talk about protecting our licenses, please keep in mind like the OP said, that drug diversion (taking hospital meds for yourself and/or denying patients their meds and taking them yourself) is by far the main reason for people losing their license. If you stay away from that and don't abuse patients etc, the likelihood of your license getting taken away is slim no matter how many mistakes you make.

I know what you're saying. I hear "I gotta protect my license, my license is at risk, etc.", but have never heard of anyone outside of a drug addict loosing their license.

But a lot of people have defend themselves to the board for their actions and they can be brutal. So it's always best to protect your license, and not put yourself at risk, and stay within the guidelines of the nurse practice act.

NH publishes a web list of those who lost their licenses, and for what reason. Many are drug related.

As already stated most if not all BONs publish this information.

I have personally known several nurses who have lost thier license permanently and it was not for drug use. It was over issues in thier actual nursing practice.

I have know several who were disaplined by the board as well. For example: "failue to follow standard of practice," "unprofessional conduct" several were pulled for inappropriate sexual contact., Some for stealing other than drugs, some for failing to report a change in patient condition, some for inappropriatly medicating a patient and the list goes on.

I am aware of this primairly because I read the disaplinary actions when they come out. You may not even know that the nurse you work beside has been sactioned by the board if you do not follow these reports. Trust me she will never volunteer that information to you.

please, don't ever underestimate the power of the board. as agnus stated, and more often than not, it is not limited to drug diversion or impairment. the board takes very seriously anything that will reflect a nurse's standards of care and professional conduct. you can be a nurse for many, many years then because of a fluke, isolated incident, or a disgruntled family member reporting someone, the BON can be involved at any time. do not take anything for granted.

Here in the State of Georgia, our Board will suspend your license if you default on a student loan. Really a bizarre thing to do, to take away your ability to earn a living, as well as any opportunity to pay back the loan...which is why they are doing it...to begin with...duh!

Yes, nurses do lose their licenses, here in PA we are sent a news letter a few times a year listing the names, license numbers,city where they live and outcomes. It is a shame to see how many nurses lose their hard earned licenses and I was very suprised that I knew one of them and never would have guessed she had a drug problem.

NH publishes a web list of those who lost their licenses, and for what reason. Many are drug related.

As does California.