Healthcare practitioners are held to higher standards in their jobs than most other professions. They must be licensed to practice, and any number of missteps can lead to losing this license or having it suspended. It's not only work-related infractions that can get nurses and healthcare providers in trouble, though. A nurse from Washington State learned what's at stake when it comes to your medical license. 

If you're a nurse or other healthcare professional with a license at risk, our Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. Call 888-535-3686 or send us your information via our contact form to learn more. 

A Nurse in Washington State Was Suspended for Fraud 

Dialysis nurse and clinical manager Jeanne Rather was charged and convicted of fraud and identity theft and ended up having her nursing license suspended for at least five years as a result. Rather stole credit card and Social Security information from her employees and used it to purchase hotel rooms and plane tickets, and to support her personal business. She stole over $204,000 in total. 

Rather was arraigned in 2020 in Texas and placed on pretrial supervision, but stopped communicating with the court and was then extradited to Washington in 2023. She was sentenced to two and half years in federal prison, which she's serving in Texas. 

When the Washington State Board of Nursing learned about her charges and convictions in December 2023, it suspended her license her nursing license for a minimum of five years. 

Non-Job-Related Offenses Can Cause You to Lose Your Medical License 

In Rather's case, it was actions that had nothing to do with her performance as a nurse that caused her license to be suspended. Her charges were for fraud and identity theft, and although she defrauded her own employees, she very likely still would've had her license suspended if she had defrauded people she didn't work with. 

What to Do If Your License Is at Risk 

If you are at risk of being sanctioned by your state nursing or medical board, you should take action to keep your license. Even if you don't commit a crime like fraud, you can still have your license suspended or even permanently revoked. Offenses that the board considers unprofessional or unethical can lead to severe penalties for medical professionals. What can you do if you're in this situation? 

Your best chance to save your license is by hiring the Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team. We help nurses and other licensed professionals throughout the country. Our team of attorneys can help you negotiate with your board, build a strong argument in favor of keeping your license, or help lessen sanctions. 

If you want to keep your license, call our firm today at 888-535-3686 or fill out our contact form, and a member of our team will get back to you.