Washington, D.C. Summarily Suspends Nursing Licenses
The Washington, DC Health Regulation and Licensing Administration is summarily suspending the licenses of nurses who allegedly received fraudulent credentials from several now-closed Florida nursing schools relating to the FBI's Operation Nightingale investigation. The notices say that a school official criminally charged in the scandal has attested that nurses receiving the notices received fake school credentials.
You need skilled and experienced professional license defense to invoke your Washington, DC license appeal and present your evidence at the summary hearing. Retain the Lento Law Firm's premier Professional License Defense Team for immediate representation before the Washington, DC Board of Nursing. Call 888.535.3686 or go online now for the skilled services you need to address your emergency nursing license issues.
Washington, DC Investigates Nursing Licenses
The Washington, DC Health Regulation and Licensing Administration has published a public notice saying that it is investigating whether nursing credentials from the involved schools are legitimate. The Licensing Administration's public notice acknowledges that the involved schools had operated legitimately to provide some graduates with authentic credentials.
Washington Nurses Must Invoke Emergency Hearings
Yet the Washington, DC Licensing Administration's private notices to involved nurses immediately suspend the involved nurses' license to practice nursing in Washington, DC. According to the emergency notices, the Washington, DC Board of Nursing is giving nurses only seventy-two hours to appeal the suspension of their nursing license. If you fail to timely appeal, you may permanently lose your Washington, DC nursing license.
The notices also permit the involved nurses only seventy-two hours to prepare for the hearing that their timely appeal would invoke. Seventy-two hours to gather evidence of the legitimacy of your nursing school credentials is an incredibly short time. You need skilled and experienced license defense counsel to help you prepare for your Washington, DC nursing license hearing.
Operation Nightingale Exposes Nationwide Fraud Scandal
Federal HHS officials and FBI agents worked with state nursing officials to pursue the Operation Nightingale enforcement action. Their investigation led to federal criminal fraud charges against twenty-six officials connected with these now-closed Florida nursing schools, on evidence that they sold thousands of bogus nursing degrees and transcripts to aspiring nurses, many of them immigrants:
- MedLife Institute West Palm Beach;
- Palm Beach School of Nursing;
- Sacred Heart International Institute;
- Siena College;
- Quisqueya School of Nursing, also called Sunshine Academy; and
- Quisqueya Health Care Academy.
Nationwide Operation Nightingale Impacts
The statements of Operation Nightingale spokespersons, highlighted in nursing journals and press reports, show the scandal's ongoing nationwide impact. Federal officials allege that thousands of nurses now hold licenses, jobs, and other nursing degrees across the country under the closed Florida schools' fraudulent credentials. Operation Nightingale enforcement actions place those licenses, jobs, and degrees at risk, worsening current unprecedented nursing shortages. Operation Nightingale is rocking the nation's nursing profession.
Nationwide Nursing Board Investigations
State nursing board investigations nationwide are extending Operation Nightingale's impact on thousands of nurses and their employers. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing is urging state boards across the country to fall in line with license investigations and revocations. Nurses practicing in the District of Columbia should prepare to defend against District of Columbia Board of Nursing investigations and related employer actions. Retain the Lento Law Firm for your license investigation, disciplinary proceedings, and appeals of adverse action.
National Capitol City Nursing Board Authority
Washington, DC nursing license officials have the District's authority to investigate nurses holding suspect Florida nursing school credentials. The Washington, DC Nurse Practice Act establishes the District's Board of Nursing to set education and other standards for licenses for nurses to practice in the District. The Act's Section 3-1205.01 requires nurses practicing in the District to hold a Board of Nursing license. Section 3-1204.08 authorizes the Board to evaluate the qualifications of nurses seeking or holding licenses and to hold hearings on license issues. Section 3-1205.14 expressly authorizes the Board of Nursing to revoke the license of any nurse who "[f]raudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license…."
Employer Investigations of DC Nurses
Washington, DC healthcare employers share the Board of Nursing's obligation to ensure the educational qualifications of nurses practicing in their hospitals, clinics, and home health or other services. Employers nationwide have cooperated with Operation Nightingale enforcement actions, terminating the jobs of nurses suspected of holding fraudulent Florida nursing school credentials and requiring nurses to prove the authenticity of those credentials.
License Defense for Washington, DC Nurses
The Lento Law Firm's premier Professional License Defense Team and national license defense attorney Joseph D. Lento are available to represent you before the Washington, DC Board of Nursing and with your employer issues arising out of the Florida nursing school fraud scandal.
Time is of the essence if you have received a Washington, DC Health Regulation and Licensing Administration notice that officials have suspended your nursing license. You have only hours within which to act. Get the skilled and experienced representation you need to effectively fight your Washington, DC professional licensing issues. Call 888.535.3686 or go online now.
