Reinstating Your Nursing License Could Cost More than You Expect
When the Minnesota Board of Nursing revoked Magdala Sims’ nursing license, saying that she’d purchased her education credentials, it gave her the option of applying for reinstatement. The catch? She’d have to pay the administrative costs for the disciplinary proceedings against her. These came to the eye-watering sum of $51,686.60.
After Sims objected to the “inordinate amount of money” she’d have to come up with if she wanted to resume her career, the Board reduced the bill to $30,000. Sims appealed, arguing that because parts of the tab hadn’t been itemized, she had no idea what many of these charges in it were for. The Minnesota Court of Appeals disagreed, finding that Sims’ due process had not been violated.
Sims is in a terrible predicament — either give up on her nursing license or pay an almost impossible sum to get it back. She’s not alone: nurses in every state who lose their license face sometimes prohibitive costs for reinstatement. The Professional License Defense Team at the LLF National Law Firm can help negotiate with your state’s licensing board for lower reinstatement fees or alternatives to cash payments, appeal an adverse decision, and ensure your due process rights are respected every step of the way. Call us at 888-535-3686 or send us a message online.
Reinstatement Costs Aren’t Always Clear Up Front
Reinstatement fees for a nursing license vary from state to state. In Sims’ case, because she contested the allegations against her regarding her educational background, Minnesota’s base reinstatement fee was compounded by charges for work performed by a judge with the Court of Administrative Hearings and the Attorney General’s Office, which advised the Board of Nursing on the matter.
Reinstatement often involves other, less obvious costs, as well. These can stem from:
- Board-mandated continuing education or remedial coursework, which can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in tuition and course materials
- Participation in fee-based monitoring or probationary programs
- Collection and submission of fingerprints, background checks, or professional evaluations, which the nurse pays for from their own pocket
- Fees to cover the costs of an investigation or administrative work, as in the Sims case
- Opportunity costs — that is, the money the nurse lost in income while their license was inactive
Finally, in many cases, there is no guarantee that the reinstatement application will be approved once the fees are paid. In Sims’ case, for instance, she would have to pay the $30,000 just to apply for reinstatement — the licensing board could deny the application, and she’d be out that money.
How the Professional License Defense Team Can Help
As any nurse who’s been through the disciplinary process knows, licensing board operations tend to be complex and highly procedural — especially when it’s a question of revocation. The LLF National Law Firm’s Professional License Defense Team looks at how each state board interprets its own rules and regulations, monitors adherence to due process, and guides the defense. In the case of an adverse finding, our team works to limit reinstatement conditions and negotiate the lowest possible costs.
If your licensing board is threatening to revoke your nursing license, tell us about your case by sending us a message online or calling the LLF National Law Firm directly at 888-535-3686.