Richland County Nursing License Defense Lawyer

In Richland County, nurses and the healthcare they practice are overseen by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR). This department is responsible for ensuring all nurses adhere at all times to the Nurse Practice Act, which outlines the standards of care for all nurses within the state. In order to practice nursing in Richland County, an individual must be licensed by the LLR.

In most cases, a licensed nurse will practice and help people every single day without incident. In some cases, however, a patient, coworker, employer, or even a spouse can file a complaint against a nurse at any time. When this happens, it can have severe consequences for the nurse. Nurses who have a complaint filed against them should speak to a Richland County nursing license defense lawyer as soon as possible to discuss how to defend their license, reputation, and career. Read on to learn more about how a skilled defense attorney can offer you their assistance today.

Common Allegations

A nurse can have a complaint filed against them for several reasons. Some of the most common allegations are listed below:

• Criminal activity, or being convicted of a crime
• Practicing while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Abuse or dependence on alcohol of drugs
• Using or taking narcotics prescribed to someone else
• Performing medical procedures or practicing outside the scope of the nurse’s license
• Having inappropriate relations with patients
• Inaccurately charting or documenting patient conditions or other records
• Failing to dispose of narcotics properly
• Sexual misconduct
• Neglecting or abusing patients

Know that a professional Richland County nursing license defense lawyer can offer representation to individuals who have been accused of these actions to help protect their reputation within the community.

Notification of an Investigation

After a nurse has a complaint filed against them, the LLR will begin an investigation if they determine that the complaint is valid. The start of an investigation is not necessarily an indication that the nurse will lose their license or that the LLR has even deemed the complaint to be completely correct.

The LLR will advise the nurse that an investigation has started by sending an investigator to visit or call the nurse. The investigator will often say that they are simply getting in touch to get the nurse’s version of what happened and to close the investigation, but this is not always true. Anything that is said to the investigator during this time can be held against the nurse later, so it is very important to be aware of what is being said and the responses provided to the LLR investigator’s questions.

The RPP Program

When a complaint involves the nurse using drugs or alcohol, the LLR may decide to refer them to the South Carolina Recovering Professional Program (RPP). Here, the nurse can be assessed to determine whether they need treatment or future monitoring. This does not always mean the end of the nurse’s career, as the goal of the RPP is to ensure that the nurse is safe and to help them to get back to nursing again.

Reach out to a Richland County Nursing License Defense Attorney Today

Being found guilty of misconduct can be disastrous for a nurse. Administrative actions, or penalties, can include being publicly reprimanded, having their nursing license suspended, or even having their license revoked, preventing them from being a nurse ever again.

This is why it can be so important to contact a Richland County nursing license defense attorney as soon as you learn that a complaint has been filed against you. There is too much to lose, and too much at stake. Call a dedicated lawyer who can help today.