Nurse’s License Suspended After Animal Abuse Conviction
A person’s actions outside of the workplace can sometimes affect their job. For example, professional drivers who get DUIs on their personal time may get fired from their jobs.
Abusing a person or animal can be a major offense for someone who works in the medical field. Ethics is a key issue in the medical field and a person who has disregard for any form of life can face penalties and even license loss.
This is what happened to a nurse in Oregon. The man was convicted of animal abuse and got his nursing license suspended.
In February 2023, the nurse was found guilty of first-degree animal abuse in Washington County, Oregon. He was facing two other animal abuse charges, but those were dismissed. He was sentenced to two years of probation.
The man was working as a registered nurse when he agreed to the suspension of his nursing license. He must undergo a psychiatric or psychological evaluation before he can get his nursing license reinstated.
What Can Cause a Nursing License to be Suspended?
A nursing license can be suspended for various reasons, such as:
- Professional factors. These may include failing to meet the expected standard of care in patient treatment, documentation errors, medication errors, and incompetence. Boundary violations, such as having Inappropriate relationships with patients, can also lead to disciplinary action.
- Personal factors. Certain physical and mental health conditions can impair a nurse’s ability to perform their duties safely. Financial issues, such as bankruptcy or not fulfilling child support obligations, can also affect licensure.
- Legal factors. Felony convictions and even some misdemeanor convictions can result in the suspension or revocation of a nursing license. So can being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on duty, as well as fraud, misrepresentation, and HIPAA violations, such as breaching patient confidentiality.
- Ethical factors. Any type of professional misconduct, as well as patient neglect or abuse in any form can lead to serious consequences.
- Administrative factors. Not renewing a nursing license on time can result in it being inactive or expired. Not completing required continuing education units (CEUs) can lead to disciplinary actions. Also, failure to comply with orders or recommendations from the nursing board can result in further disciplinary actions.
Complaints from patients, colleagues, or employers can trigger an investigation. Nursing boards will investigate reported incidents thoroughly and take appropriate actions based on their findings.
Keep Your License With Help From a Tampa Nursing License Lawyer
It is possible for nurses and other licensed professionals to lose their license for unrelated matters such as animal abuse. And it makes sense to some degree — those who abuse animals shouldn’t be working as nurses.
Administrative issues with your license can be tough to handle on your own. Get the help you need from a Tampa nursing license lawyer from The Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I will work to resolve your licensing matter as quickly as possible. Schedule a consultation by calling (813) 968-6633 or filling out the online form.
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