Just like doctors, professional nurses dedicate their lives to the care of others. When a registered nurse receives notice that they are being investigated for violations of the Texas Nursing Practice Act by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON), it can be both harrowing and heartbreaking. There are, however, steps that a nurse can take to meet those allegations head on and put their best foot forward in response to the BON’s actions against them.
Receiving the Formal Notice
If you have received a formal notice of the allegations against you, it means that the BON Enforcement Division has reviewed the allegations and decided to move forward with an investigation. It is important to familiarize yourself with this letter: it will list the complaints against you in detail, citing the specific laws that may have been broken. You will have 30 days to file a written a response to this notice.
Hiring Counsel
It is extremely important to seek out counsel early on in this process. A skilled Texas health care attorney can immediately help you craft a thorough response to your formal notice. Failing to act quickly within that 30 day period can result in the BON filing formal charges against you.
Investigating the Claims
One of the first things your counsel should do is request all evidence the BON Enforcement Division has against you. This is a right granted to the accused under the Texas Nursing Practice Act. A review of this evidence can be extremely helpful in creating an appropriate response to your formal notice.
Your counsel should also be working with you to reach out to witnesses or other relevant resources related to the circumstances surrounding the allegations. It is also critical to detail your own testimony on these matters as best as possible.
Writing & Sending Your Response
Your attorney should then create a comprehensive written response to the formal notice. This response should speak to all of the allegations listed in the original letter, with supporting facts and accounts gleaned from the investigation process. Guidance from your attorney can also help your written response avoid common mistakes, such as:
- Writing in an unclear manner that raises more questions with the BON
- Volunteering information that is either irrelevant or out of context
- Admitting to infractions without understanding the Texas Nursing Practices Act
After your written response is received by the BON, it will decide to either close the case or move forward with resolving the matter through an informal conference, filing formal charges, or other action. If the BON does not dismiss the case, it will remain vital that you keep skilled and knowledgeable counsel by your side.
At The Law Offices of Alejandro Mora, PLLC, we deal exclusively with legal matters in the medical field and are well-versed in BON actions against licensed, registered nurses. We can help you navigate this process from the time you first receive your formal notice to a dismissal or resolution of the allegations against you.
Ensure that you have proven counsel by your side when defending your reputation. Contact our firm today.