Are You Applying for a Nursing or Health Professional License? Read Our Helpful Tips First!

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

The process of obtaining a nursing or health professional license can be challenging and time-consuming. When seeking initial licensure or applying for a license in another state, you should be aware of delays in the application process due to the investigation of credentials and past practice, as well as the need to comply with licensing standards.

Here is a List of Examples That Would Delay Your Application:

• Disciplinary or academic actions during postgraduate training (probation, suspension, remediation)
• Action by another state’s regulatory or licensing board
• Action by a different professional licensing board
• Misdemeanor or felony convictions
• Results of the criminal background check (remember, it […]

Florida’s New E-Prescribing Law: How It May Affect You and Your Career

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
In 2019, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 831 (2019), Electronic Prescribing, into law. The new bill provides important requirements for prescribers to generate and transmit all prescriptions electronically upon their license renewal or by July 1, 2021, whichever is earlier. The bill will go into effect on January 1, 2020.

Summary of New Law, HB 831.

The new law applies to any health care practitioner who is licensed by law to prescribe a medicinal drug. The law, HB 831 sets forth the following general rule for prescribing:

If you are licensed to prescribe a medicinal drug, and you:

(1) Maintain a system of electronic health records; or

(2) Are an owner, employee or contractor of a licensed healthcare facility […]

DeSantis Yanks Large Number of Appointments Made by Former Governor, Several on Board of Nursing

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

On February 22, 2019, Florida’s new Governor, Rick DeSantis retracted 169 appointments that the former governor made before leaving office. Several of these were appointments that had been made to the Florida Board of Nursing. This is not the first time he has called back last-minute decisions made by his predecessor. In January 2019, he retracted 46 of Scott’s “lame duck appointments.”

The new governor has now pulled a total of 215 of Scott’s prior appointments to various boards and committees.

Here’s a List of the Appointments Made by Scott That Governor DeSantis Pulled for the Professional Boards Under the Department of Health (DOH):

Heather Baumwald, Board of Nursing

Jennifer Raymond, Board of Nursing

Mary Julie Talmadge, Board of Nursing

Steve Moreau, […]

Florida Woman Arrested for Allegedly Posing as a Nurse, Giving Botox Injections-For Second Time

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

A Boca Raton, Florida, woman was arrested on June 21, 2013, after authorities say she posed as a nurse and offered Botox injections. The fake nurse has been charged with unlicensed practice of a health care professional. If found guilty, the phony nurse could be sentenced to up to five years in jail. This was a joint investigation between the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Investigative Services Unit, the City of Boca Raton Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections.

To read the press release from the DOH, click here.

Undercover Agents Visited Fake Nurse at her Place of Business.

According to The Palm Beach Post, officials began their investigation of the fake nurse on June 6, 2013, after receiving an anonymous tip. Local police officials and […]

Nurses Need to Monitor Their Personal Nursys Profiles

CCS Blog LabelBy Carole C. Schriefer, R.N., J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Nurses, did you know that the status of your license and disciplinary actions taken against you are constantly being tracked by employers? It is actually relatively easy with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) database, called Nursys. What’s even scarier is employers can sign up for an e-Notify option. This is an e-mail notification system that delivers real-time updates to employers about nurses. The Nursys’ e-Notify option is frequently used by hospitals and medical groups to regulate and screen employees. Click here to read a previous blog on Nursys.

It is imperative, as a nurse, you regulate your own profile regularly for discrepancies. You can do so by […]

Finding an Attorney/Lawyer Who Takes Nurses Service Organization (NSO) Insurance to Defend Nursing Board Complaints

5 Indest-2008-2By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

We often hear from callers and clients in professional licensing complaints, Department of Health investigations and Board of Nursing cases, that they had good insurance coverage with Nurses Service Organization (NSO) Insurance, but could not find an attorney that would accept it. Often these nurses retain us after action has been taken to appeal or attempt to reverse an adverse disciplinary action taken against their nursing license.

This should not be a difficult task. Our firm and its attorneys have accepted NSO Insurance for over 25 years. Additionally, all of our attorneys are members of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA)

Our firm has attorneys that are licensed in and can defend registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) […]

Finding an Attorney/Lawyer Who Takes CPH & Associates (CPH&A) Insurance To Represent Nurses in Complaint Investigations

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

We often hear from nurses who call and retain us to represent them in complaints against their nursing licenses in professional licensing complaints and investigations. This includes letters from the Department of Health (DOH) advising them that they are being investigated, Administrative Complaints, emergency restriction orders (EROs), and emergency suspension orders (ESOs).

In many cases they had good insurance coverage with CPH & Associates (CPH&A) Insurance, but could not find an attorney that would accept it. Often these nurses retain us after adverse disciplinary action has already been taken. They retain us to appeal or attempt to reverse an adverse disciplinary action taken against their license, including revocations.

Finding legal counsel that accepts your insurance should not be a difficult task. Our firm and its attorneys have […]

Legal Responsibilities of Nurse Supervisors

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

Although a nursing supervisor is liable for her own negligent acts, the employer is liable for the negligent acts of all employees, including nursing supervisors. Supervisors are not generally liable under the doctrine of respondent superior for the negligent acts of those being supervised, unless they can be shown to be independently negligent in how they supervise or fail to supervise. They have the right to direct the nurses who are being supervised. In a health care facility, the supervisor’s powers are derived directly from the facility’s right of control.

A supervisor who knowingly fails to supervise an employee’s performance or assigns a task to an individual he or she knows, or should know, is not competent to perform can be held personally liable if an injury occurs. The employer will […]

Traveling Nurses Must Have Appropriate Professional Liability Insurance

8 Indest-2008-5By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

We are often asked what we consider to be the biggest problem that a nurse has in defending herself in a complaint against her license.  In our opinion, it is not having the financial resources to retain the services of an experienced attorney to defend her.  Because of this, we believe that any nurse, especially traveling nurses working at a hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, assisted living facility, medical group, or any other organization must have her own personal professional liability policy that provides ample insurance coverage for professional license defense expenses.

Most Complaints Made Against Nurses are Filed by Employers.

In our experience, most of the complaints filed against nurse professionals come from employers.  In many cases, a patient will complain to […]

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