Nurses have a difficult job and are often under a lot of pressure at work. When a patient's health takes a turn, or they even pass away, it could lead to questions about the nurse's performance and professional abilities. In a case from Pennsylvania, a nurse was charged with mistreating and even ...

Recreational marijuana use is legal in almost half of the states in the U.S. Attitudes toward this drug have changed, leading to less stigma. As it becomes more common, it begs the question: Can medical professionals use marijuana recreationally without getting in trouble? Nurses in every state ...

The case made headlines: a former beauty pageant winner and third-generation nurse was arrested for breaking the leg of her patient, a non-verbal, medically fragile minor. It provoked anger and a race to judgment but recently saw a surprising conclusion. The former beauty queen was found innocent...

If you are a nurse, obtaining and maintaining your nursing license is your most important professional concern. It also represents the years of training and education you have completed and the significant investment of time and money you dedicated to preparing for your field. But that valuable, ...

Thanks to “Dr. Google,” many patients come to their doctor armed with information about their condition and potential treatment plans, including specific medications they want prescribed. As the medical provider, you may disagree about the effectiveness or necessity of the suggested medication fo...

There is no other profession in the world quite like being a doctor. You face life-altering decisions every single day. You literally hold the lives of your patients in your hands. That's not an easy position to be in day in and day out. Given just what's at stake, it's not surprising that state...

You were trained to practice medicine. Sure, you've taken some seminars or Continuing Education courses in health care law, but you're no legal expert. You don't have time for that. The fact is, the law is constantly in flux. New technologies can raise thorny questions about medical ethics; healt...

You spent years earning your medical degree and completing your residency training. You passed national exams and endured a rigorous state licensing process. You adhere strictly to the tenets of the Hippocratic Oath, and you may have a long, unblemished record as a physician. Unfortunately, there...

Medical professionals are surrounded by illicit drugs, and, with the emotional toll these jobs can take along with compensation that doesn't always reflect nurses' importance, the temptation to use or even sell can be strong. However, the recent case of a Cedar Rapids nursing home caregiver has r...

A Broward County, FL, ob/gyn surgeon who failed to take a few simple steps to remain in compliance with professional standards recently faced a disciplinary suspension of 30 days. Dr. Kompal Gadh, as head of the surgery facility bearing her name, was also tasked with ensuring compliance with regu...

The responsibility to pay child support is one that state governments take very seriously. Unfortunately, sometimes the financial burden can cause a strain, resulting in a string of consequences. But were you aware that failure to pay child support could also cause you to lose your nurse's licens...

As a nurse, you've worked hard for your education, license, and career. That's why it can be frustrating when the actions of others put your professional future at risk. That's what some nurses with a degree from Florida's Palm Beach School of Nursing have discovered. After the owner pleaded guil...

In the healthcare space, each professional has a distinct and crucial role to play. When boundaries blur, and professionals step outside their designated roles, they not only jeopardize patient safety but also risk serious professional consequences. If you're a practicing nurse who has been accus...

It seems almost unthinkable when you consider the hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and basic humanity it takes to complete the rigorous training to become a nurse. But stories of nurses stealing from patients, in fact, are not uncommon. When nurses steal from patients, they're crossing a number ...

The complex problem of drug or alcohol abuse and addiction is a perennial challenge to individuals, families, and communities. Attitudes towards addiction have changed over time, and most of us recognize that it is more than a matter of lack of willpower. The Americans with Disabilities Act was p...

As a physician, it's not uncommon to find yourself at the heart of emotionally charged situations. Patients and their families are often entrusting themselves to your care during the worst moments of their lives. The truth is, there's only so much that medicine can do, and with stakes this high, ...

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a serious matter, and nurses who have been arrested for or convicted of DWI in the past may not realize that their nursing licenses may be at risk. The case of a Texas registered nurse with multiple DWI arrests illustrates how state nursing boards around the cou...

While many states have abandoned the model of testing students as a condition of graduation, standardized tests still carry great weight in the K-12 public school system. Whether a charter school is aiming to honor its performance contract to maintain its charter or a public school is seeking as ...

If you are a nurse who has surrendered or is considering surrendering your nursing license related to the FBI's Operation Nightingale against several now-closed Florida nursing schools, you need to be aware of the federal OIG Exclusion List. If your name appears on that list because of your licen...

The conviction of an Illinois pharmacist who sold fake vaccine cards is made headlines in June. The Chicago-area pharmacist was found guilty of stealing CDC-issued COVID-19 vaccination cards from his workplace and selling them on an online marketplace. Over a three-week period, the pharmacist man...

Like any profession, nursing has a doctrine of rules and regulations by which employees must adhere to better service the needs of others. Despite the obvious close contact between nurse and patient, there are clear lines that cannot be crossed while administering health and wellness care. Unfort...

Only part of a physician's job is to prescribe medication. Yet, it is one of the most controlled aspects of the medical industry. To stave off the expansion of the national opioid crisis, the federal government is cracking down on excessive prescriptions and watching medical providers closely. Be...

What would you do if, at a moment when you were egregiously breaking your employer's rules, the person breaking the rules with you suddenly suffered a heart attack? That's the question one nurse in Wales, United Kingdom, had to confront when an affair with a patient suddenly turned into a life-o...

Where is the line between easing patients' pain and overprescribing? This is a judgment call that medical and dental professionals have had to address on their own, and compassionate prescribers often face professional sanctions when a patient misuses medication. A case out of Kentucky reinforce...

If someone in your life has applied for and been granted a restraining order, or order of protection, against you, you are no doubt feeling a complex mix of emotions – perhaps betrayal, shock, anger, or sadness. This is normal, and it's important to remember this. Relationships and family ties ca...