Steps to Take to Protect Your Illinois Nursing License

 Posted on December 27, 2021 in Medical License Defense

Nurses are a special breed of people. They dedicate their lives to taking care of others, often at the expense of time spent with their own loved ones. To become a nurse, they spend several years going to school and training and continue that education during their careers to stay abreast of the most up-to-date medical care for patients and meet the requirements of the Illinois Board of Nursing. Given the amount of dedication and sacrifice a nurse pours into their career, it is imperative to take all the necessary steps to ensure their nursing license is protected. All it takes is one false or misleading allegation, and a nurse can find themselves facing disciplinary action or even loss of their nursing license.

Complaints that May Lead to a Nursing License Investigation

The Illinois Board of Nursing is tasked with overseeing all licensed nursing professionals in the state. A complaint made to the board will trigger an investigation into whether the allegations being made are true and – if they are – what disciplinary action is warranted. Any nurse who is notified by the board that there has been a complaint filed against them should contact an Illinois professional license defense attorney right away.

Some of the most frequent complaints filed against nurses include:

• Errors in documentation

• Falsifying of documents

• Unprofessional conduct or behavior

• Improper practices

• Alcohol or drug abuse

Steps to Take to Protect Against Errors and Complaints

While no human is perfect and we all make mistakes at one point or another, there are steps that nurses can take to help protect themselves from complaints and the need for investigations:

• Clear communication – Make it standard practice that all of your communications with doctors, nurses, and other professionals that you deal with on a daily basis is clear and concise. Clear communication helps avoid medical errors and potential harm to patients.

• Make sure to follow all protocol and procedures – Every medical facility has their own protocols in place to help ensure proper duty of care to all patients. Although you may think you have a better or quicker way than the protocol in place, this can lead to complaints filed against you should an incident occur.

• Meet all of your professional responsibilities – While you may find your workload is overwhelming on some days, make sure you handle and finish up any tasks and responsibilities assigned to you. Avoid asking co-workers to assist. If they fail to complete those duties, you will be the one who faces the consequences, even if you had asked for their help.

Contact an Illinois Professional License Defense Lawyer

Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, someone may file a complaint with the Illinois Board of Nursing anyway. Should this occur, do not try to defend against these allegations on your own. Call The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc. at 630-310-1267 to speak with a dedicated Illinois nursing license defense attorney and find out what legal options you may have against these charges.

Source:

https://www.idfpr.com/profs/nursing.asp