Defending Nurses in Florida
Complaints to the Board of Nursing are stressful. Our nursing license defense attorneys represent nurses in Florida to protect their careers. We handle issues that impact your license. Our experience includes: drug diversions, DUI & DWI convictions, misdemeanor or impairment allegations, negligence claims, positive drug tests, and nurse practice act violations.
We also provide nurses with advice and representation in contract review and negotiation, as well as employment disputes. We also routinely represent nurses in cases involving the Florida nurse practice act. Issues like drug diversion and patient family complaints can impact your employment and career if they're not addressed quickly and thoroughly. Our goal is to reduce your stress so that you can keep doing the good work that you do.
Nursing License Board Disciplinary Cases
Our law firm has nurse defense attorneys that can represent you in an administrative hearing against the nursing board lawyers. The Florida Department of Health employs health care attorneys to handle disciplinary actions against your license. These attorneys are paid to argue against you, and to convince the board to suspend or terminate your license. Appearing at a hearing without an attorney gives them the advantage, and makes it harder for you to win. However, it's often hard to find a lawyer for nurses who understands the process. Our attorneys can represent you in the following cases:
-
Drug Diversion: Nursing License Complaint
Drug diversion cases are common in Florida. With the rise of opiate addiction problems, hospitals and medical providers have gotten strict about disposal of controlled medications. Drug diversion is a criminal act or deviation that removes a prescription drug from its intended path to the patient. In some instances, the Board of Nursing can suspend or revoke your license if you don't respond quickly and correctly. It's important to retain counsel as soon as you're aware there's a problem.
-
Failing a Drug Test
Nurses who fail drug tests can face significant license and employment issues. Even recreational drugs such as cannabis, can result in a failed drug test and immediate termination. Furthermore, employers often report failed tests to the Board of Nursing, who can immediately suspend your license. If you are aware that you have failed a drug test, contact our attorneys immediately to protect your license.
-
DUI's and Medical Licenses
Many nurses have lost their licenses because of DUI convictions. Those who have not, are subject to monitoring, practice restrictions and other sanctions. Nurses also aren't aware of the problems that arise as a result of participating in a state's impairment program. That's why it's important to contact us immediately to learn about the rights that you have, and how to best proceed. We can represent nurses and healthcare professionals who have been charged with DUI, and those who face complaints related to old DUI's.
-
Nurses with Criminal Convictions
Reporting prior criminal convictions, or addressing pending charges, is incredibly important for nurses. The Board of Nursing takes criminal charges seriously, and cases involving fraud, theft, and drugs can result in license revocations. Our attorneys can help you with reporting to the nursing board, and advise your criminal defense attorney in appropriate outcomes.
-
Nursing License Suspension and Revocations
The Board of Nursing can suspend your license on a number of different grounds. Drug diversion, failed drug tests, criminal convictions, DUI, negligence and malpractice are just a few of the grounds. If you are facing a license suspension, or if the Board is interested in revoking your license, contact us today. We can help defend your license. If your license has already been suspended, we can help reinstate it. Act quickly before your time runs out.
-
Nursing Impairment Programs
Mandatory referrals to impairment programs, or voluntary participation, come with complications. Our attorneys can help you understand your options or negotiate your monitoring agreement. If you have failed a drug test or faced issues regarding drug diversion, contact our attorneys today.
-
HIPAA Violations:
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA) violations are taken very seriously by hospitals and health care facilities. These claims often involve the unintentional disclosure of patient's medical records that result in patients filing out nursing complaint forms. That's why these cases are sometimes considered by the nursing board lawyers. Our HIPAA attorneys can help you understand how serious a potential violation is, and how to best protect you from discipline from the board.
Representation for Registered Nurses, LPNs and APRNs
Our firm advises nurses in HIPAA compliance matters, interactions with Health and Human Services, and employment matters pertaining to contracts. Many nurses have questions about HIPAA rules and common HIPAA violations, but don't often have an attorney that can answer those questions. Our consultations are free, no obligation and confidential. You can feel safe in discussing your concerns with our attorneys, and getting answers that can help protect your career. We can help answer your other questions about:
- Nursing license and compact license applications;
- The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) inquiries and approval;
- Litigation and Deposition preparation and appearance;
- Disciplinary Actions;
- Professional liability and negligence;
- Employment issues with contracts, credentialing, harassment and retaliation;
- Probation violations;
- IPN, HPRP, and OPHP issues;
- Drug diversion; and
- Positive drug tests.
Affordable Representation & Insurance Coverage
We Are Members of TAANA
Our firm is a proud member of the American Association of Nurse Attorneys. Accordingly, we can accept payments and reimbursements from nursing license insurance organizations. We will contact your insurance provider, like the Nurse Service Organization, Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, and others to verify your coverage and get you the benefits.
Our Billing Practices
One of the most common questions we see is, "how much do lawyers that defend nurses cost?" Metropolitan Law Group focuses on delivering you the best representation for competitive prices. We offer flat fee services and accept insurance. In some nursing license defense cases we can offer payments. But we always work to keep our costs down while we protect your license.
Where We Practice
Metropolitan Law Group represents nurses in the State of Florida. We have served clients in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Orlando, Miami, Fort Meyers, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola. We travel for hearings and offer telephonic appointments. Our office will work our appointments around your schedules, and we are often available after hours.
We Can Help You Today!
Nursing is difficult enough without the added headache of worrying about protecting your license. Many nurses spend their shifts trying to stay on top of patient care while fighting management expectations. The last thing a nurse needs is to try to handle a complaint from the Nursing Board. We can help take the stress and pressure from you, and prepare your case.
Our attorneys understand the difficulties of the nursing profession and the pressure that you work under. That's why we focus on reducing stress related to these cases. We handle responses, negotiations, hearings and appearances before the Board. We can tell you what to expect, answer questions you have, and build a strong case to protect your license.
What to Do if You Get a Board of Nursing Complaint
The Florida Board of Nursing serves complaints through the mail and attached to a letter. The letter has three attachments. The first is a copy of the Complaint. The second is a settlement agreement, which often contains your worst case scenario discipline. The third is a license surrender form. You should always have a consultation with a nursing license attorney before signing the settlement or surrender forms.
When you receive the letter, you need to act quickly. You will have twenty one (21) days to respond to the charges that have been sent to you. If you don't respond, then the Board of Nursing moves your case into a "waiver" status. This status means that you have waived your rights to fight the legitimacy of the charges.
If you respond timely, you can choose to challenge the facts of your case or the legal basis for the complaint. This sometimes involves a hearing before the Division of Administrative Hearings, which we can handle. In some circumstances, you may also have a separate hearing with the Board of Nursing. Preparation for these hearings is key. The Board expects a professional and thorough presentation to convince them not to issue discipline.