Nurse License | The Health Law Firm Blog

Nurses: Don’t Work at an Illegal Health Care Clinic

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Despite the passage of Florida’s Health Care Clinic Act over nine years ago, there are still many health practices which are violating it. Unfortunately, the violation of the Health Care Clinic Act can have serious repercussions, including conviction of a felony, loss of all fees collected, and disciplinary/licensure action against any nurses or other licensed health professionals working there.

Over the past three years we have seen the following scenarios or ones similar to these (changed factually to ensure anonymity):

Scenario 1: A health care practitioner licensed in Florida decides to sell her practice and retire. Three non-licensed business people decide to form a corporation to purchase and […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:55-04:00May 15, 2018|Defense, Nurse License|

Crack Down on Unlicensed Practice of Nursing by Florida Department of Health

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida in Health Law

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recently made a presentation regarding its increased investigation and prosecution of the unlicensed practice of nursing and other health professions. More resources and more investigators are being assigned to this duty.

The Department of Health has more than doubled the investigators in the Unlicensed Activity Unit from seven investigators to nineteen recently. This dramatic increase in resources and staff has resulted in the investigation of more complaints than ever regarding unlicensed practice of nursing.

Weapon of Choice in This Battle: Trust Funds.

Florida has a dedicated trust fund to combat unlicensed nursing […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:59-04:00May 15, 2018|ARNP, Board of Nursing, CRNA, Defense, Department of Health, Discipline, Nurse License, Nurse Practitioner, registered nurse, Unlicensed activity|

Florida HB 0653 Signed Into Law; Effective 2/1/2012

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Florida Legislature unanimously passed HB 653 which relaxes some of the draconian exclusions enacted under SB 1986, which went into effect on July 1, 2009. SB 1986, which added provisions to Chapter 456, Florida Statutes, among others, prevented numerous healthcare providers from obtaining or renewing licenses based on prior criminal convictions, which could have occurred decades earlier.

HB 653 has been passed unanimously by the Florida Legislature and has been signed by the Governor to be effective July 1, 2012. It has been signed into law as Chapter 2012-64, Florida Laws and amends Section 456.0635(5), Florida Statutes (2012).

Under HB 653, the professional […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:55-04:00May 15, 2018|Board of Nursing, Department of Health, Nurse License|

The 25 Biggest Mistakes Nurses Make After Being Notified of a Department of Health Complaint

By Lance Leider, J.D.

The investigation of a complaint which could lead to the revocation of a nurse’s license to practice and the assessment of tens of thousands of dollars in fines, usually starts with a simple letter from the Department of Health (DOH). This is a very serious legal matter, and it should be treated as such by the nurse who receives it. Yet, in many cases, attorneys are consulted by nurses after the entire investigation is over, and they have attempted to represent themselves throughout the case. Often, the mistakes that have been made severely compromise an attorney’s ability to achieve a favorable result for the nurse.

These […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:55-04:00May 15, 2018|Department of Health, Nurse Depositions, Nurse License|

Appealing Final Orders and Emergency Suspension Orders (ESOs)

by George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M.
Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

George F. Indest III, Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The professional boards for licensed health professionals in Florida, such as the Board of Nursing, are all under the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Each board is responsible for disciplinary actions and other matters regulating the professions under its authority. The investigators and attorneys assigned for Board of Nursing matters all work for or are assigned to the DOH. The Florida DOH is headed up by the Florida Surgeon General. I think of the DOH as the umbrella agency over the professional boards or […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:04-04:00May 15, 2018|Administrative Complaints, Administrative Hearing, Board of Nursing, Defense, Department of Health, Emergency Suspension Order, Nurse License|

Nurses Beware of a Disciplinary Action Database Called Licensure QuickConfirm

By Christopher E. Brown, J.D.

Nurses, did you know the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) maintains a database of all state disciplinary actions? This database, called Licensure QuickConfirm, lists all disciplinary actions from the Florida Board of Nursing and forty-six (46) other state boards. It is frequently used by hospitals and medical groups to screen potential employees.

To search the Licensure QuickConfirm list, click here.

Information Comes From the Boards of Nursing.

According to the website, all information listed on the database comes directly from the boards of nursing. A report will contain:– the nurse’s name, – licensed jurisdiction,

– license […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Board of Nursing, Discipline, Nurse License|

Adverse Consequences of Discipline Against Your Nursing License

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

If the Florida Department of Health (DOH) takes discipline against your Florida nursing license, this will have many significant consequences.

Investigation and Discipline of Other State Licenses.

The discipline will be reported to every other state in which you have a license and similar investigations will be opened by those states.

Many states also have laws similar to those of Florida which require you to report discipline yourself to the other state in which you are licensed. Sometimes this is very short, 15 or 30 days, for example. Check the other state’s laws to be sure.

Discipline Against […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:07-04:00May 15, 2018|Department of Health, Discipline, Nurse License|

Preserving Your Nursing License: Alternatives to Conviction, Nolo Contendere or Adjudication Withheld

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

As if being faced with the consequences of criminal charges wasn’t frightening enough, physicians, nurses, dentists, psychologists and other health professionals have the added danger of having their licenses disciplined or revoked if they plead nolo contendere or guilty to a criminal charge

Whether you are applying for a new license to practice or have been practicing for years you are under an obligation to report “convictions” and “pleas” to the board that governs your profession. The normal definition of a “conviction” is not the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Defense, Nurse License|

Nurse: Please Talk to an Attorney Before You Talk to an Investigator

By Lance Leider, J.D.

In Florida, You DO NOT Have to Speak to an Investigator!

Despite mailing out hundreds of thousands of postcards and letters to nurses throughout Florida, we continue to receive calls from new clients and from potential clients, after they have already spoken to and made critical harmful admissions against their own interests to investigators. In Florida, you do not have any duty to cooperate with any investigator who is investigating you. This extends to Department of Health (DOH) investigators (who are sometimes titled “Medical Quality Assurance Investigators” or “Medical Malpractice Investigators”), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agents, police officers, sheriff’s deputies, or criminal investigators of any […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Board of Nursing, Department of Health, Nurse License|

Almost 19% of Nurse Aides Charged with Abuse and Neglect, had Prior Criminal Records

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) on October 5, 2012, found that nineteen percent (19%) of long-term care nurse aides who were found guilty of on-the-job abuse, neglect or property theft in 2010 had prior criminal records that would have showed up on a background check.

Click here to read the entire report from the HHS OIG.

Report is Part of the Affordable Care Act Background Check Program.

Section 6201 of the Affordable Care Act establishes a background check program. This voluntary program gives grants […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Nurse Aide, Nurse License, Patient Care|