Published
The only time I've heard of anyone losing their license is d/t diverting narcotics/drug abuse. Even then, in most cases they've had to register with the state and comply with the monitoring program. If they fail to comply then yes, their license is suspended.
I have seen some horrendous nursing errors resulting in actual harm, including death, and somehow those nurses maintained their license. (and job!)
Most of the people that I've seen worrying about losing their license seem to be new nurses and new to LTC nurses. Once they realize that they'd actually have to TRY to lose their license they tend to settle down about that.
Many of the people who repeatedly chant, "I am afraid to lose my license" seem to have only a truncated notion of what it takes to actually lose a nursing license.I hear nurses that have been in LTC say that they are afraid to lose their license.
In the area where I live, revocation of licensure usually occurs as a result of narcotic theft, diversion, impaired practice, or failure to satisfactorily fulfill the terms of an intervention program for nurses (IPN). All of the LTC nurses I personally know who have lost their licenses had problems with addiction, theft of drugs, or impaired practice.
It takes a lot more than being overworked to the point of taking shortcuts to lose your license. I'd guess that 99% of nurses that lose their license do so because of narcotic diversion. Occasionally I hear of a nurse losing their license because of a conviction for violent crime or theft. Of course proven violation of residents rights can cause a nurse to lose their license, though I must admit I've never heard of any particular cases where this happened.
Crosobien
11 Posts
I hear nurses that have been in LTC say that they are afraid to lose their license.