any nurses fighting for their license with BON?

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This is a scary story...my husband and i are both nurses...he in the ER and i am in the ICU.... there was a night that they had a confused and combative patient in the ER... i took 5 people to hold her down for a L.P...... positive for meningitis.......after that she calmed down and was sent to the ICU... during the transfer to the icu bed she woke up and became combative and trying to get out of the bed and hitting at the nurses.... my husband was trying to keep her in the bed and flat so the restraints that were ordered could be put on..... it was a rather wild scene ....... someone then called the board of nursing to report patient abuse..... well..... let me tell you it has been a nightmare..... his license has been suspended and a hearing is set for dec.... the board has bullied, tried to intimadate witnesses to change their testimony, rewritten witness statements and ask for them to sign the rewritten one they wrote..... we are amazed this can happen to good nurses..... one day you go to work...take care of your patients in what is some times a difficult situation and BAM your life is never the same.... it is also a sad state of affairs when fear rules the was you nurse... on any give day a nurse can be brought up in front of the BON.... ours is not a black and white profession....we work in areas of grey each day....... if we didn't love our patients there is not enought money in the world to make us do some of the things we have do every day...... sorry this was long.... i feel like i belong when i read the posts on this board.... feeling not alone in this craziness is a help.... any experiences with the board or words of wisdom would be welcome....thanks to all .....laura

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Specializes in rehab-med/surg-ICU-ER-cath lab.

A number of years ago, my license was lost in the mail as I sent in for my yearly renewal and at the time I had been a nurse for 26 years. Four years after I had initially received my license I had a charge against me which resulted in my license being suspended for 6 months. It was a tough, young and very foolish time in my life and I deserved the 6 month suspension. I was was fully reinstated as a RN and I completed all necessary requirements of the BON.

Initially. when I realized my license paperwork was late I was super upset, but the clerk told me it would be no problem just a $25.00 late fee. Then the "legal" team got a hold of my records and made it seemed like the mistake made all those years ago was never resolved and then started demanding all kinds of proof and testimony of my good standing. They then concluded that this matter was so serious that it would most likely would be decided in court. Now for 24 years I have been sending in my fee for my license, no problems and was working as RN. MY paperwork is one day late and now I am suddenly a monster not to be trusted. After four months I had the top five MD's at my hospital write long glowing amazing letters of recommendation to the BON. (The lawyers at the BON told me this would be totally unnecessary and discouraged it.) I then called the head of the BON to ask why I was able to just send in my check for 24 years and be out working as a nurse and nobody was worried about my past issues? Considering this and my letters of recommendation, could he please explain this situation to me, it was all I was asking. He said he couldn't understand it either and that it sounded like a bunch of over anxious young lawyers. One week later I had my license back and there was no further record of this silly issue reflected on my license, Today, I have been a RN for 36 years and have never since failed to hand deliver the renewal for my RN license. I hope something in here helps.

Best of luck!

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In 1994 I went into recovery for a narcotic addiction and was in the diversion program. I failed the program five years later because, when applying to graduate, I messed up on the paperwork and was dropped for suspicion of forging some of the signatures (even after I offered to have the people contact them personally to verify they had signed the papers). I then was remanded back to the BON for discipline. I was prepared to go through another recovery program but was blindsided because I got a whole list of charges from the state attorney general's office. When investigating the original charge of diverting narcs, the investigator was told about some issues involving me and narcs that happened while I was in the first program. The person who snitched and reported me to the BON neglected to say that they had all been investigated in house and that I had been cleared of each one. I totally freaked out. I hired an attorney who spent months representing me to the state, and several months later I found out what transpired between him and the state's attorney: the state was ready to hang me out to dry because all they saw was an addict who couldn't stay away from the candy. My attorney slowly proved to her that each charge except the original one of diversion had come from overzealous coworkers who wrote me up for every little thing, whether it was my fault or not, and that the results of the hospital's investigation had not been shared. In the end the only charge I had to face was the original one, and the state's attorney ended up waiving her fees (which I was supposed to pay, in addition to my attorney's). She even admitted that, in looking over everything that we handed over, it looked like "they were out to get" me.

Does your husband have an attorney? If not, he should get one.

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thanks for the reply....i can see from your posts that there is life after being brought before the board.....it just seems as if the world has stopped and we can't breathe.... the fear is gripping and physical..... i wonder if you all have any stories about violence in the workplace and if any have to do with restraint placement..... i will remember to keep asking.. God grant me the serenity....to except the things i can not change...the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference....love to all laura

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thanks for the reply....i can see from your posts that there is life after being brought before the board.....it just seems as if the world has stopped and we can't breathe.... the fear is gripping and physical..... i wonder if you all have any stories about violence in the workplace and if any have to do with restraint placement..... i will remember to keep asking.. God grant me the serenity....to except the things i can not change...the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference....love to all laura

IF this is going down like you say then the board is engaging in criminal behavior itself. Contact you legislator about this.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

It bears repeating...the BON is not your friend. Approach with extreme caution.

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this has been a struggle.... my husband decided to fight till the end ...what ever the outcome we will still be ok.... they still tried to pressure him to admit guilt....the last offer almost made him give in...but when is all said and done, he can live with fighting and losing but would have a hard time living with admitting something he didn't do

laura

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{{{{Laura and Hubby}}}}

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the board has bullied, tried to intimadate witnesses to change their testimony, rewritten witness statements and ask for them to sign the rewritten one they wrote.....

Unethical and illegal. It is illegal for anyone but the witness to rewrite statements and it's even worse that they are trying to get them to sign it! Get a lawyer! Keep records of everything. Let the witnesses know that this is illegal and not to sign anything without a lawyer present.

Good luck and keep us posted.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

I had a friend, LPN, who was fired from her job for "poor documentation". We had paper MARs at the time, and it was hard to always get the MAR, as the docs, the unit clerk, the student nurses and God knows who else had them. She had on two different occasions, obtained a med from the Pyxis, given it to the pt, and then not documented giving the med (Lortab, Percocet?) on the MAR.

We got in a new NM who made it clear she hated all our guts, and made our lives a miserable hell for about a year and a half. She is the one who ran all our activity through the Pyxis and fired this girl, and turned her into the BON. She was able to get another job, but worried herself sick for over a year whether she would lose her license. She too got letters of recommendation from other nurses and docs, went through a lot of "jumping through hoops", was told at one point by BON that she likely wouldlose her license, and then rec'd a phone call telling her they had decided the other way, and that she was cleared of all accusations.

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

No, I have never had any dealings with a BON in any disciplinary matters - but, I was at the board on an unrelated matter on a "day" that they were having disciplinary hearings. I did learn several things that day.

* First - I hope, pray and try to practice in a manner that will keep me out of that situation.

* Second, I would never go before any board with just "right" on my side. I will go with a LAWYER. ;)

It seems to me that your situation is not a result of deliberate action on the part of your hubby. I think many nurses here have had to "restrain" patients - often it is a true life/death matter. It is so unfortunate that "someone" (I'm guessing that info is confidential, so far...) decided that "reporting" must be done. Now here you are. I will concede that to some, restraining a patient can appear a bit, ...brutal - but it appears that you have been a victim of someone that may not have enough information to make a realistic charge/complaint. But, here you are - just the same.

First, if you have not secured legal counsel - NOW is the time to do so. If you can locate a lawyer with a nursing background that would be best. Call your state bar association and ask for their help. Also google nurse/attorney, there are many out there. I don't know what state you are in, so I'm a bit limited here.

I know that lawyers are expensive, but you have a lot on the line. I am so sorry that you are in this situation - but it is essential that you not let the emotions rule at this point. (Believe me, I know that this is TOUGH!)

I think an attorney is your best bet - and then after full disclosure, they will be in the best position to help you. And the "dirty tricks" that seem to be taking over, well - a good attorney will bring those to a stop. And witnesses that are participating in "irregular" statements need to know that they can and will be held responsible for their actions! (An attorney is essential here!) And before ANYONE takes ANYTHING from me, you better believe that I will fight! And any hearing/statement/investigation that can not or does not take place in an open atmosphere is just suspect.

You may get some help from your states office of the INSPECTOR (not ATTORNEY) GENERAL, but, I think that would be limited and I maintain that a lawyer is the best option!

I am so sorry for what you all are going through, I pray for a quick and positive outcome for you both.

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

My first reaction to your post........Who was the person that reported this to the BON? Then my next ??? was......Why is the hospital not doing their own investigation and supporting your hubby?????

If it is any consellation, I reported non-licensed people giving meds and that us licensed personnel were encouraged to sign that we gave the meds. In the end, not a thing happened, except that I lost my job. The BON says you can't be dismissed for reporting stuff like this, but they did nothing to help me. Their reply was that I shouldn't be working at a place that allows stuff like that anyway. The BON did a lot of muscle flexing, but in the end, they did nothing. It was all smoke and mirrors and scare tactics.

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