Two Florida Nursing Professionals Have Licenses Suspended
Those in the health and medicine field are held to the highest levels of morality. They have a duty to protect patients and do no harm. Sometimes these professionals do not take their jobs seriously, though. They make mistakes that cause them to lose their license.
This was the case for two South Florida healthcare professionals. They recently had their licenses suspended from the Florida Department of Health for inappropriate and illegal behavior. Emergency Suspension Orders were filed against the two.
One of those people was a 59-year-old man who had been a certified nursing assistant since 1989. He was working at the senior living facility Somerby Santa Rosa Beach in July 2017 when he approached a 74-year-old man with diabetes and dementia. The nursing assistant grabbed the elderly man in the groin and the man doubled over in pain.
The nursing assistant denied the claim, but video footage showed him striking and grabbing the man in the groin. He was fired nine days later.
The other person, a registered nurse, did not harm any of her patients but performed illegal acts outside of the workplace. She had been convicted of prostitution on two separate occasions since 2014. In 2015, she also pled guilty to possession of cocaine. She received probation for those offenses. In early November 2017, she was arrested for having a crack pipe in her possession. Her license expired in April and she had been a registered nurse since 2009.
Discipline for Nurses
When a nurse admits to allegations of wrongdoing or is found guilty of such acts, the state board has the right to take appropriate action. The purpose of discipline is to promote safety while correcting practice. Discipline aims to affect the nurse’s practice in some way.
In many cases, the nurse may be fined and placed on probation for a period of time. This probation is monitored through the board and, in some instances involving substance abuse, may require a treatment plan.
A suspension causes a nurse to lose their license for a period of time. This is a serious form of punishment that prevents a nurse from legally practicing. Once a certain time period has passed and the nurse has met all the requirements, he or she can petition the board for reinstatement of the license.
Keep Your License with Help From a Tampa Nursing License Lawyer
A nursing license requires a significant amount of schooling and training. As your sole source of income, it’s important to protect your license. A complaint from a patient, however, can lead to license suspension.
If you are in danger of losing your license, seek legal help right away. Seek legal representation from the Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I am a Tampa administrative lawyer who focuses on licensing issues for nurses and other professionals. For a free consultation, contact my office today by calling (813) 968-6633.
Resource:
miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article186583683.html