Edie Brous

You cannot renew a license that is suspended. You have to get the suspension lifted before you can do anything. See an attorney in your state who practices licensure law.

"If you haven't done so yet, write down everything you remember about the incident in chronological order. " AFTER contacting an attorney so you can write it as a memo to counsel and keep it from being discoverable.

I would disagree with a few things. Speak with an attorney BEFORE you do anything. DO NOT call the nursing board directly. It can take months from the time a complaint is made until you hear from them. Calling them can just move things along faster which gives you less time to prepare. Logs, journals, diaries, etc. can be discoverable so DO NOT write down everything in as much detail as possible UNTIL you have spoken with counsel and can write it as a private memo to your lawyer to protect it. Start taking medication administration safety courses now so you can collect CME certificates of completion BEFORE you receive any notification that you are being investigated. Nurses ARE disciplined for medication errors. If you are currently in practice it can be easy to make another error just because you are anxious. See a lawyer sooner, rather than later so you have an actual context & can get the support you need.

Get legal advice in your state - some jurisdictions require employers to report terminations and some states require self-reporting of termination even if you don't think the termination was warranted. At least get a consultation with someone who does licensure defense so you can start taking steps now to be prepared & not harm yourself.

Her case did not "set a precedent" - criminal prosecution of nurses/doctors/pharmacists for adverse events is not new. What is new, is social media and the internet so more people are aware of this one.

I went to the OR as a new grad in the 70s & the idea that I needed med/surg first was outdated even then. I think some experience is necessary first before working independently like in school nursing, or for the ER, but you should be able to enjoy a position in the OR right out of school if the hospital has a training program. Good luck!

The question assumes I have no idea what happens in OB. I do understand what women go through in labor and I don't need you to paint a visual. I asked if the women saying they don't want male nurses have male OBs because what women go through in labor is not the only consideration. I AM a nurse attorney and don't only think about the clinical issues here, but also the legal ones. Men who are told their patients won't be comfortable so they can't work in certain areas can have a legitimate discrimination claim. It would be easier to defend against that action if the patients also had female OBs. While an all female nursing staff might be nice clinically, legally it can be problematic if being female is not considered a bona fide occupational qualification to be an OB nurse. Male nurses with every qualification to work in OB but are not allowed to do so because of gender, are subject to gender stereotypes that male OBs are not. It is a balancing act of patient satisfaction and a nurse's right to be free of workplace discrimination. The hospital would need to show a non-discriminatory reason for not letting him be assigned to OB. It's not a new issue and is a good topic for discussion. Here is a 2004 Law Review article on it if you are interested. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/lawfaculty/302/