Nurse License Defense in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area

The Oklahoma Board of Nursing (or simply “the Board”) is responsible for licensing and overseeing nurses in the Sooner State. The Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act (NPA) is the law granting the Board this authority.

The NPA also authorizes the Board to take disciplinary action against the licenses of nurses who engage in various forms of misconduct. If you're a nurse anywhere in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, the Board could take action against your license should anyone ever accuse you of a violation.

You need proper representation in these circumstances. The actions the Board may take could significantly limit your ability to practice nursing in (and outside) the state.

Our Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is available to help now. We offer nurse license defense services throughout the Oklahoma City Metroplex, serving nurses in communities from Edmond to Stillwater (and anywhere else in the region). Learn more about how we can help you defend your career by submitting your information via our online contact form or calling our offices today at 888-535-3686.

Reasons You May Need Nurse License Defense Services in the Oklahoma City Metro

The Board may take action against a nurse's license in Oklahoma for several reasons. Forms of misconduct that can trigger disciplinary action include:

  • Obtaining a nursing license through unlawful, deceitful, or fraudulent means
  • Being convicted of a felony that indicates a nurse may not be able to treat the public safely
  • Failing to provide a patient with the degree of care that aligns with the standards for nurses in Oklahoma
  • Being unable to safely practice as a nurse due to drug and/or alcohol issues
  • Engaging in a pattern of behavior indicating a nurse lacks the ability to exercise proper judgment or otherwise offer patients safe treatment
  • Being certified as mentally ill or otherwise a danger to the public
  • Engaging in any actions that endanger the life of a patient
  • Violating any of the Board's rules
  • Being subject to disciplinary action by the Board in another state
  • Engaging in sexual misconduct
  • Failing to maintain appropriate boundaries with patients

It's not always clear exactly what a complaint is accusing you of. At the Lento Law Firm, our Professional License Defense Team will ensure you properly understand the allegations you're facing.

Forms of Discipline the Board May Take in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area

It doesn't matter whether you're applying for a job at a major Oklahoma City Metroplex health care facility like AMG Specialty Hospital-Oklahoma City or you're looking to work at a smaller clinic in one of the region's suburbs and rural communities like Bethany, Midwest City, or Kingfisher—you rely on a valid Oklahoma nursing license to practice in the state.

The forms of disciplinary action the Board may take against a nurse accused of misconduct in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area could limit their ability to practice nursing. Forms of disciplinary action the NPA authorizes the Board to take in these circumstances are:

  • Reprimand: A reprimand is a formal warning. This may seem like a relatively mild form of discipline, as it typically doesn't involve placing any restrictions or limitations on a nurse's license. However, a reprimand is usually a public warning that gets attached to a nurse's file. As such, even a reprimand could theoretically serve as a barrier preventing a nurse from securing employment.
  • Educational requirements: The Board sometimes determines a nurse is unable to safely perform certain nursing tasks or duties because they lack the proper education or training. In this scenario, the Board can require a nurse to fulfill mandatory education requirements. Depending on the nature of the issue, the Board might thoroughly restrict a nurse's license until they fulfill these requirements. However, it may be more likely that the Board will require a nurse to only perform the tasks and duties they're qualified to perform until they've demonstrated satisfactory completion of a relevant educational course or training program.
  • Supervision: The Board may require a nurse to work under the supervision of others for various reasons. Similar to the above, maybe a nurse struggles with particular tasks and duties. They may thus have to work under someone else's supervision until the Board is satisfied that this is no longer necessary.
  • Suspension: Suspending a nurse's license prevents them from practicing nursing for a set period of time in the Oklahoma City Metroplex (or anywhere else in the state). The length of a suspension can depend on such factors as the seriousness of the alleged misconduct. Sometimes, the Board may also require a nurse to fulfill certain conditions before it will lift a suspension. Again, this might involve undergoing training, receiving substance abuse treatment, etc.
  • Revocation: Revoking a nurse's license is a major form of disciplinary action. Although there are instances when nurses can have their revoked licenses reinstated, it's not always guaranteed that this will be a possibility.

From major cities like Shawnee and Norman to smaller communities like Purcell and Piedmont, we at the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team are available to serve the needs of nurses facing disciplinary action throughout the Oklahoma City Metro.

We might help with a case like yours by presenting mitigating factors to the Board when it's considering disciplinary action. Mitigating factors that might give the Board reason to consider leniency include:

  • Your overall performance history
  • Your lack of previous disciplinary issues
  • Your willingness (when applicable) to take necessary steps to address an issue

That's just one way our Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help you right now. Our goal is to ensure the Board makes a reasonable and appropriate decision in your discipline case. We'll also speak up on your behalf if it appears the Board is being unfair or violating your rights at any stage of the process.

How a Nurse License Defense Case in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Can Affect a Nurse's License Elsewhere

Nursys is a network fostering information-sharing among the nursing boards of most states in the country. As with most states, the Board in Oklahoma participates in the Nursys system.

Nursys helps nurses more easily transfer their credentials from one state to another. If a nurse moves from a Nursys state, as long as their new home state's nursing board also participates in Nursys, getting licensed to practice there should be much easier than it would otherwise be.

However, it's important to understand that nursing boards that participate in this system also share information about the disciplinary actions they've taken against nurses. This means if you get in trouble for an alleged violation in Oklahoma, it could affect your ability to work as a nurse somewhere else in the country.

That's not meant to frighten you. It's meant to help you appreciate the full significance of a Board investigation. Our Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help you guard against unfair outcomes during this critical time.

What Does a Board Investigation Involve in the Oklahoma City Metroplex?

The specific ways in which the Board investigates your case will depend on your case's specific details. Attorneys with our Professional License Defense Team can guide you through every stage of the process.

Generally, a Board investigation in the Oklahoma City Metro involves:

  • Complaint: The Board may receive a complaint from a patient, colleague, or anyone else who has reason to believe a nurse has committed a violation. The Board will conduct an initial review of the complaint to determine if an investigation is necessary. Sometimes, the Board dismisses complaints right away. The Board may do so if the nature of the complaint indicates no serious violation has occurred or the Board doesn't have the authority to address this particular matter. However, the law ultimately authorizes the Board to investigate virtually any complaint it deems worthy of investigation.
  • Potential Letter of Concern: Even if the Board doesn't investigate a complaint, that doesn't necessarily mean it will dismiss it entirely without taking some form of action to address the alleged misconduct. Specifically, if the Board believes there isn't sufficient reason to take disciplinary action, but an allegation nevertheless indicates cause for concern, the Board may issue a “Letter of Concern” accordingly. This isn't a form of disciplinary action itself. However, it may suggest a nurse could face disciplinary action in the future if more evidence of misconduct comes to light.
  • Informal proceedings: There are instances when the Board may informally meet with a nurse to discuss a case and potentially come to an agreement before taking formal action. This may involve a nurse admitting to a minor violation. However, because these proceedings are informal, they don't necessarily prevent the Board from taking more significant action in the future. If the Board contacts you to discuss your case, make sure you have proper legal representation. It's important to comply with Board requests, as failing to do so could result in even greater disciplinary issues, but being too cooperative (and not having a lawyer on your side) could result in you agreeing to an arrangement that doesn't serve your best interests in the long run.
  • Investigation: The Board may launch a formal investigation during which investigators can gather evidence, interview witnesses, etc. This stage of a case also gives a nurse the opportunity to gather evidence that may strengthen their case.
  • Hearing: A nurse should receive notice of a hearing for their case. The notice should provide the time and date of the hearing, along with an explanation of why a nurse is being called to participate.

The hearing gives the Board decision-makers the opportunity to hear both sides of the story: the case against you, and your defense.

Don't make the mistake of participating in a hearing without proper legal assistance. You'll significantly disadvantage yourself if you don't have representation. Attorneys with the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can help you thoroughly prepare for a hearing while also providing the representation you deserve during the hearing itself.

How the Lento Law Firm Helps Nurses in Need of License Defense Services in the Oklahoma City Metro

At the Lento Law Firm, attorneys with our Professional License Defense Team are on hand to defend nurses throughout the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. If you work for a major employer in the region, like Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, Community Hospital, or INTEGRIS Health Canadian Valley Hospital, rest assured we have the experience necessary to handle a case like yours.

You don't have to work at a major healthcare facility to benefit from our services. We're prepared to represent nurses working anywhere in the Metro.

Ways we can help include:

  • Answering questions: We'll answer basic questions and provide insight into your case during an initial case review. This gives you the chance to learn about the allegations against you and what you can expect going forward.
  • Handling correspondence: From informal meetings to final hearings, there are various stages during a Board investigation when you may need to interact with Board representatives in some capacity. Having your own representative is key to protecting your rights when this happens. We'll unburden you by handling all correspondence with the Board on your behalf.
  • Building a case: We tailor our defense strategies to the individual needs of each and every client. We'll review the details of your case and determine the ideal way to proceed. Sometimes, this involves gathering our own evidence to counter the evidence the Board uses against you.
  • Negotiating: The Board may be willing to negotiate a deal in which you'll face less significant disciplinary action than you might otherwise face. We can handle negotiations on your behalf in these circumstances.

These are just key examples of how we serve nurses in need of Oklahoma City Metro license defense services. The best way to learn how we can help you is to speak with a member of our team.

Contact the Lento Law Firm for Help With an Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Nurse License Defense Case

At the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team, we understand that facing Board disciplinary action can be very stressful. You can ease your concerns now by taking action to defend your license. Get started today by calling our offices at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.

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Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm are committed to answering your questions about Physician License Defense, Nursing License Defense, Pharmacist License Defense, Psychologist and Psychiatrist License Defense, Dental License Defense, Chiropractic License Defense, Real Estate License Defense, Professional Counseling License Defense, and Other Professional Licenses law issues nationwide.
The Lento Law Firm will gladly discuss your case with you at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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