Operation Nightingale Strikes Again in Connecticut
The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing has suspended the license of another nurse believed to be practicing with a fake degree. It’s only the latest disciplinary action to come out of Operation Nightingale, a multi-state investigation targeting for-profit schools in Florida that issued phony nursing degrees and transcripts.
So far, nearly 100 nurses in Connecticut have lost their licenses in connection with the Florida-based scheme. Nurses in Texas, Washington, North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, and other states have, too.
Nurses throughout the U.S. with degrees from the shuttered Florida schools are no doubt worried right now, wondering not only whether their degree is real, but also what they can do to defend themselves during an investigation by their state licensing board.
The LLF National Law Firm’s Professional License Defense Team can help:
- We’ve been on the front lines of Operation Nightingale since 2023;
- We know how complex Nightingale’s inquiries can be; and
- We know how to defend your integrity and your professional license.
Protect your professional nursing license now. Call us at 888-535-3686 or send us a message online.
Who Is Operation Nightingale Targeting?
Officials from the Florida schools who issued the phony degrees were indicted for fraud in 2023 because they falsely claimed their graduates had the right coursework or the right number of clinical hours to qualify for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam.
Some of these graduates knew the claims were false and that they were taking the NCLEX under false pretenses. Many others did not, and believed they had earned the right to sit for the exam. In both cases, a large number of FL graduates passed the NCLEX and became successful licensed nurses.
Operation Nightingale has taken them very much by surprise, and caused many sleepless nights.
What Can a Nurse With a Degree from an Affected School Expect?
Connecticut has been especially aggressive in rooting out nurses with a degree from one of the discredited Florida schools, but nurses in every state with one of these degrees are vulnerable. If a board investigator contacts you, here’s what you can expect:
- An inquiry that looks at whether you were enrolled in the program, what the program requirements were, and whether your transcripts accurately reflect your work in the program.
- If the information turned up in step 1 warrants it, suspension of your license pending a full board hearing. This means you won’t be able to practice during this time.
- Formal notification from your licensing board explaining the suspension — for instance, incomplete coursework or submission of false credentials.
- A board hearing at which you can present evidence in your defense, challenge the board’s evidence, and explain your understanding of and experience with the school’s requirements.
You have the right to be represented by a member of the LLF National Law Firm’s Professional License Defense Team at your hearing — and the right to enlist our help during the investigation stage or, if the board finds against you, in appealing that decision.
Our team has the experience and insight to make sure you make the case for your license, and to ensure the best possible outcome in your situation. Contact us right away — your license is too valuable, and too hard-earned, to lose. Call 888-535-3686 or send us a message now.