Nurses all over Texas have to defend their right to work against claims filed with the Texas Board of Nursing. You have set your own life on hold to help others. Now, you need someone in your corner because you’ve put time and money into your license. Our Houston nursing license defense attorneys are here for you.
The Houston professional license defense lawyers at Eddington and Worley know that claims or charges against nurses are painful. One claim could prevent you from having the career you spent years working towards. It could lead to you losing the job you have now. It could also mean losing years, or decades that you have put into your career.
If you are facing charges, get a nursing license attorney right now. Fight to keep your career, and to keep helping the patients who need you. Call now to start talking about your case.
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The Texas Board of Nursing
From the first claim to the possible disciplinary action, you need a lawyer to help you. Experienced Houston nursing license defense attorneys will look at:
- Discipline process
- Claims of drug use and dependency
- Criminal acts
- Care
- TPAPN
- Peer Reviews
All of these go through the same board. It does not matter what the claim covers. The Texas Board of Nursing will be the authority to handles it. Some nurses who have worked for longer may recall it was the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas. Although it has a new name, they do the same thing.
The board oversees all of the nurses in Texas. They have branches broken down into smaller regions, but they all act the same way. The Texas Board of Nursing takes care of everything that is part of the Nursing Practice Act in addition to the other laws and rules that impact nurses.
Anyone who works as a Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, or an Advanced Practice Nurse Specialist reports to them. What the board should do is grant some insight into the daily duties of nurses. They also cover the small section of nurses who have the authority to write prescriptions from the DEA or DPS.
Handling Allegations and Charges
Unlike doctors, a nurse will likely only face a claim with the board from their peers. That means that it is not likely that there are claims from upset patients. A peer review or coworker can lead to a claim with the board.
Then the Texas Board of Nursing will look into the nurse’s conduct. If they find that some actions violated laws, the nurse will likely no longer have their license. The penalties are often very direct, swift, and harsh.
Every claim starts with an investigation. There are some investigations that start from criminal charges though. Charges such as drunk driving or other drug-related crimes can lead to a nurse losing their license.
During the investigation, the nurse will usually go through many interviews. But, it is critical for a nurse to know that they will not likely ever speak with an actual member of the board.
Instead, the board will use its staff, law enforcement, and their lawyers to address a nurse. In some cases, the claim will go to the Attorney General instead of the board for review. For many people who try to defend their license themselves, that is not fair.
This process is why you need our Houston nursing license defense attorneys in your corner. It is scary facing a group of people who have reviewed your claims and hold your career in their hands.
Understanding Your Investigation
There are two types of claims that lead to a review of conduct from the Texas Board of Nursing. The first type is known as “Practice Related.”
That means that the claim involved a specific act or series of actions that affect the practice. Practice-related claims could include neglect or improper care. However, the more common claim type is behavioral.
Behavioral cases often stem from outside areas of the nurse’s life. A known chemical dependency, including dependency on alcohol, can lead to an investigation.
A nurse with criminal charges, currently on a pain management plan, or having mental health problems will go through review.
The concern here is that criminal charges often mean that a nurse will go through a suspension period before a conviction. A lawyer might be your only chance to defend your license while you are going through a difficult time in your life. Criminal charges should not result in any impact on your career until conviction.
Our Houston nursing license defense attorneys can help you through the system for both the charges and your license.
In cases of pain management or mental health concerns, you need a lawyer to protect your rights. There are times when a nurse may not be able to provide the best care and needs the chance to recover on their own. Does that mean that they should lose their license?
No, it shouldn’t. Anyone working in a career that requires good mental and physical health should get help from their community when they need it. Instead, they have to go through a hearing and may lose their license, only exacerbating their problem.
Protect Your Career Now
Get the help you need to stay in the career you love. Too often the Texas Board of Nursing puts its focus on discipline instead of giving a nurse in need help.
The Board Staff will often glide through the review process and decide on a punishment quickly. You need a competent, and knowledgeable attorney fighting for you.
The Texas Board of Nursing believe that all of the following are reasons for immediate discipline:
- Lack of care
- Sexual violations
- Fraud or theft
- Lying
- Failing to comply with laws
- Paying license fees late
- Chemical dependency
- Excess use of drugs or alcohol
- Malpractice claims
- Unethical behavior
- Criminal charges
Too often nurses who don’t know that they need legal counsel or representation go through extreme penalties. Board staff is quick to issue probations, suspensions, and even revocations.
If you are up against the Texas Board of Nursing, get help. Don’t allow a group of staff members to decide what happens to you and your career. Many people are left without jobs because the staff members working for the board did not properly review the claims.
At Eddington and Worley Defense Lawyers, someone can help you with reviewing the claims right away. Contact our Houston nursing license defense attorneys to defend your livelihood and get back to work as quickly as you can. Protect your career, work with someone who has experience in nursing license defense, call our lawyers today and start the process with a risk-free consultation.