You worked extremely hard to earn your nursing license and further your career. The last thing you want is to find yourself in an accusation hearing before the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “The best defense is a good offense.” The same concept applies to protecting your professional reputation. The best nursing license defense involves a proactive approach. With that in mind, here are effective ways to prevent license problems before they arise.
Maintain Accurate Records to Avoid Errors
Comprehensive documentation is a cornerstone of effective nursing practice. If it’s not in the chart, it didn’t happen. Those are some important rules to live by.
Accurate records ensure continuity of care and serve as evidence of the care and interventions you provide. Incomplete or inaccurate documentation can lead to misunderstandings and legal complications.
Be thorough with your charting practices and document every patient-related action you perform as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the end of the shift, as you might forget important details.
Strictly Follow Medication Protocols to Protect Yourself and Your Patients
Medication errors are a significant source of liability in nursing. Before administering medication, always follow the five rights:
- Right patient
- Right time
- Right dose
- Right drug
- Right route
You should also adhere to any facility-specific rules and best practices, such as having a second nurse verify high-risk medications. Incorporating secondary checks and redundancies into your medication administration practices can prevent life-threatening errors and protect your reputation.
However, you should also be diligent about verifying medications that do not have severe implications for the patient. Consistency will help you prevent lapses in focus and keep patients safe.
Operate Within Your Scope of Practice
As a healthcare professional, it is in your nature to do everything you can for your patients. While that quality is part of what makes you a great nurse, it is important to stay within your scope of practice. Performing interventions that are outside of your scope exposes you to significant liability and can cost you your license in nursing.
Acting in good faith does not give you the freedom to exceed your scope of practice. It is incumbent upon you to know your scope of practice and California’s specific rules regarding the provision of care.
Complete Continuing Education
Continuing education requirements can feel like a hassle, especially if your facility mandates additional training courses throughout the year. It can often feel like you don’t have the time to give your CE courses the attention they deserve.
Resist the temptation to do the bare minimum for licensure. Use continuing education as an opportunity to sharpen your skills and become a better nurse. Sign up for eligible CE courses that will help you become more well-rounded and safer.
Don’t just check a box. Explore additional learning opportunities that will keep you apprised of the latest developments in the nursing profession.
Sign Up for Legal Updates
Sign up for regular legal updates from government entities like the California Board of Registered Nursing and industry-specific organizations. Staying up-to-date on the latest laws regarding nursing can help you protect your license.
You’ve earned your license. Now, it’s up to you to protect it.
Foster Effective Communication with Patients
Clear communication with patients and their families can help prevent many license issues before they occur.
As you provide care for your patients, make sure to communicate with them and their family members about what you are doing and the purpose of the interventions. This gives patients an opportunity to voice their concerns and play a more active role in their care.
Effective communication also promotes stronger relationships with colleagues. Simple misunderstandings can lead to errors and complaints. Using standardized communication tools like ISBARR can reduce the risk of miscommunication.
You should also be willing to have tough conversations with coworkers and patients. Addressing concerns head-on can help you become a better, more well-rounded nurse and potentially avoid complaints.
Obtain a Personal Liability Insurance Policy
Many employers provide malpractice insurance. However, obtaining your own liability policy adds an extra layer of protection. Personal liability insurance can cover legal fees and settlements that might arise from lawsuits.
If you face a lawsuit or claim against your license, you need to hire the best nursing license defense team possible. A robust personal liability insurance policy ensures you have funds to use for legal fees, so you don’t have to compromise when fighting for your license.
Report and Address Unprofessional Conduct
If you observe unethical or unsafe practices, it’s your duty to report them. Failing to report ethics violations can threaten your license and damage your reputation. On the other hand, promptly addressing issues can prevent harm to patients and protect you from being implicated in misconduct.
Learn your facility’s policy, and perform your role within the rules set forth by your employer. Encourage others to do the same, especially if you are in a leadership role. Charge nurses and team leads are held to a higher standard by the nursing board and the public.
Practice Self-Care and Seek Support
Burnout is incredibly common in the healthcare field, and nurses are some of the hardest hit. 62% of nurses have experienced burnout. If you start feeling burnt out or disconnected at work, it can impact your ability to focus and make decisions. In turn, you may be at an increased risk of making a mistake that could impact your license.
Practicing self-care and seeking support when you need it can prevent burnout. Stick to an exercise regimen and eat healthy foods. If you are having a tough time dealing with the physical and emotional demands of the job, seek counseling. You have to care for yourself before you can effectively care for others.
Have Questions About Nursing License Defense Strategies? Schedule a Consultation
Despite your best efforts, you may still find yourself facing allegations or complaints that could threaten your license. When that happens, you need to contact the experienced nursing license defense team at Unlock Legal. Our attorneys have represented over 3,000 professional clients in protecting their licenses and have a 98.7% success rate.
Contact us to schedule a consultation with a nursing license defense attorney.
