My 2 Cents

Consensus Model for APRN Regulation

http://www.indiananurses.org/pdf_files/071208_APRN_JointDialogueReport.pdf

Let me know what you think.

Requesting a Hearing before the State Board of Nursing

If you receive correspondence from the State Board of Nursing stating you have __days to request a hearing, don't try to compute the time period and figure out the last day to file your request for a hearing. Request a hearing asap.

It is _days from receipt of the letter or from the date on the letter? Does it have to be mailed to the Board of Nursing in __days or does it have to be received by the Board of Nursing within __days?

This is just common sense, not legal advice.

You may not count the days correctly or compute the time period accurately and thereby forego your right to a hearing.

1. If you receive a correspondence from the State Board of Nursing about an investigation, consider contacting a licensure defense attorney. You can represent, counsel, and advise yourself or you can hire an attorney to represent, counsel, and advise you.

2. If you receive correspondence from the State Board of Nursing about requesting a hearing and formal charges being filed against your license, contact a licensure defense attorney immediately. You can represent, counsel, and advise yourself or you can hire an attorney to represent, counsel, and advise you.

If I Hear "I only signed the Nursing Board Agreement because I didn't have a choice" Again

In a democratic society, you always have a choice. You may not like your options and choices but you have a choice. Wars have been fought and blood has been shed so that we as Americans have a choice in deciding how we live, work, raise our children, vote, etc.

If I had $19.99 for every time a nurse told me this I could afford to send my five dogs to therapy with a expensive shrink.

"I only signed the Nursing Board Agreement because I didn't have a choice"

Last time I checked, State Boards of Nursing are regulatory agencies of a State and are required to afford licensees with procedural due process before "taking action" against a license. You have choices in a Board of Nursing investigation whether or not you know you have rights, choices, and options. You have options although depending how far along in the process you are, you may not like your options and choices. But you still have a choice, rights, and options.

You also have a choice to determine whether or not you want to be informed of what your options are before you sign a document that impacts the remainder of your nursing career. Its your decision whether you decide to contact a licensure defense attorney or sign an agreement offered by the Board of Nursing to resolve your complaint. Its your choice whether or not you proceed to a hearing. Its your choice whether or not you speak with a Board of Nursing investigator. Its your choice whether or not you submit a formal response to the Complaint. Its your choice whether or not you agree to an investigative meeting to further discuss the complaint with an investigator.

Do you know what your rights, options, and choices are in a Nursing Board investigation?

Should you know what your rights, options, and choices are in a Nursing Board investigation?

What do you do if you don't know what your rights, options, and choices are in a Nursing Board investigation?

Registered Nurse Association (RNA) and a Group of Very Concerned Ohio Nurses Association Members

My new scanner was delivered yesterday. As promised attached are the documents I have received related to the RNA concerns with ONA and the concerns of a Group of Very Concerned ONA Members.

I don't know who is sending the correspondence as the "Group of Very Concerned ONA Members" are not identified. I don't think the correspondence is being mailed to all ONA members. I do know that although I too am a concerned ONA member, I am not part of the Group of Very Concerned ONA Members referenced in these mailings to Gingy Harshey-Meade, CEO of ONA, the ONA Board of Directors, and the Economic & General Welfare Commission.

Also attached is correspondence from one of ONAs largest bargaining units, the Registered Nurse Association (RNA) at University Hospital (Cincinnati) that I received in addition to the correspondence from the "Group of Very Concerned ONA Members."

Download ONAblogdocuments.pdf

Download ONAblogdocument2.pdf

***************************************************************************************

Ohio Case involving a Pharmacist, Office of Inspector General and Intervention in Lieu of Conviction

See this recent case. http://www.hhs.gov/dab/decisions/CR1752.pdf.

In my opinion, the cards are unfairly stacked against licensed healthcare professionals with a chemical dependence who steal drugs.

You are terminated from your employment, you are criminally prosecuted, you have your license suspended, and you may be unable to work for 5 years in any facility receiving federal and state funds for healthcare. The OIG exclusion is expansive.

There is a reason why some licensed healthcare professionals opt to say "Welcome to Walmart" or proceed in another employment direction all together rather than the jump the hoops and do the "song and dance" imposed on licensed healthcare professionals with a chemical dependency.

Full Day Seminar on Chemical Dependency in Nursing: Now That's What I am Talking About!

I am planning to attend this conference. Hats off to the Indiana State Nurses Association and its Alternative Program for Chemical Dependency (ISNAP) for its annual conference focused on chemically dependent nurses and recovery.

See http://www.indiananurses.org/events/2008%20ISNAP%20agenda.pdf

Give me a full day conference with meaty topics (although I am a veggie) and I will drive an two hours and pay a hundred dollars with no problem. Where do I send the check?

Ohio Board of Nursing Action Against a License is Available on the Internet

If you are an Ohio nurse and action is taken against your license with the Ohio Board of Nursing the "Board of Nursing Action against your license"  (the actual Consent Agreement or Board Order) can be or will be in the future accessible online via the State of Ohio license verification website. See https://license.ohio.gov/lookup/default.asp?division=86.

Action Against Your Nursing Licensure and a Medicare and Medicaid Exclusion

See this case:

http://www.hhs.gov/dab/decisions/CR1615.htm

What do you think? Do you consider this harsh? A second bite at the same apple? Necessary.

What Happens After "Board of Nursing Action" Against Your License?

This has been a very stressful week for me with my nephew being hospitalized for his ASD Repair. His ASD Repair is complicated by his pulmonary hypertension. We were really concerned that he may have to go on Flolan after his surgery. However no Flolan just his usual regimen of Digoxin, Lasix, Vasotec, Viagra, and Tracleer for now. His pulmonary pressure prehospitalization was just as high as his systemic blood pressure. Post-surgery his pulmonary pressure is still running higher than normal but lower than it ever has. We were praying that his pulmonary hypertension was secondary to his ASD and other cardiac defects.....but we are so happy the surgery was successful and that he is recovering.

I had a nurse practitioner contact me this week. She agreed to action against her license and now she can't find a job. I have a consultation scheduled with her this week to discuss her options.

1. Before you "agree" to action against your license, consult with a licensure defense attorney. You want to know what are chances for employment if you agree to action against your license and you want to know what your options are in the licensure matter before you sign a legal document. Talk to a nurse attorney who repesents nurses before the Nursing Board. You want someone who can give you the "skinny" fairly quickly. An attorney who represents nurses should be able to review your Agreement and have a discussion with you about what happens after Board of Nursing action against your license.  

2. Contact your state nurses association or the local chapter of the specialty nurses association. Lots of professional associations offer workplace consultations and counseling services.

Update: My Nephew is Recovering

My nephew is doing well. Thank you for the emails and notes of prayer I received.

His surgery was successful. His ASD was closed and he is recovering.