One of the top reasons why a nurse may lose their license is if they make mistakes when giving care to patients. This isn’t to say that nurses have to be perfect, but some mistakes are egregious or negligent. Additionally, there can be problems if the mistakes are repetitive and there’s a pattern of behavior.
But what would these mistakes look like? They generally have to have serious ramifications in order for a license to be in jeopardy, or they have to break certain regulations. But if the licensing board believes that there may be a danger to patients, that is what they are focused on. Below are three examples.
Medication errors
Some medication errors could include giving medication to the wrong patient. Additional issues can happen if a patient is given the wrong dose or is given two different medications that have a dangerous interaction.
Prematurely ending treatment
Another issue is if the nurse just doesn’t continue treatment for long enough or fails to monitor the patient when it’s necessary. If the nurse is negligent in treating medical issues or complications, it can have an adverse impact on the patient’s health.
Documentation errors
Finally, nurses do have to ensure that they keep accurate records and do proper documentation. Mistakes during a patient evaluation, for example, could be highly problematic. It’s also an issue if there are serious errors or omissions, or if it appears that the nurse has not documented their work at all.
For a nurse who is facing these allegations, losing a license could mark the end of a career. They may also believe that the behavior was justified and that they should keep their license. It’s important for a nurse in this position to understand all their legal options.
