Sometimes, health care professionals are accused of misconduct, whether it be by their patients, colleagues, or the facility they work for. Commonly, nurses are included in this list of health care professionals who get put up against disciplinary action. Follow along to find out the common instances of nursing misconduct and how one of the proficient New York health care professional defense lawyers at Walker Medical Law can come to your aid if you are ever faced with this indictment.
What are examples of commonly reported nursing misconduct in New York?
As a nurse, there is an established standard of care that you must follow and that you owe to your patients. So if you breach this standard of care or you otherwise diverted from the standard course of treatment, a patient may accuse you of misconduct. This is especially true if a patient has proof that they were harmed or incurred damages as a direct result of your actions.
Nonetheless, below are examples of commonly reported nursing misconduct in New York:
- A nurse fails to monitor a patient’s condition properly.
- A nurse fails to administer a patient’s medication properly.
- A nurse fails to give a patient the correct medicine or the correct dosage of a medicine.
- A nurse fails to respond to a patient emergency or call a physician for assistance when necessary.
- A nurse fails to file, update, or otherwise properly analyze patient reports.
- A nurse fails to ensure that all medical equipment is working properly before tending to a patient.
- A nurse injures a patient or otherwise exhibits neglectful behavior (i.e., fails to feed a patient).
What should I do if I am accused of nursing misconduct in New York?
With an accusation of nursing misconduct in New York inevitably comes a claim being sent to the Department of Health, the Offices of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), and the Department of Education’s Office of Professional Discipline (OPD). With this, an investigation may be conducted against you, and you may even have to testify in a trial. And, worst case scenario, you may become permanently barred from practicing medicine.
With that being said, as soon as you receive a letter from either the OPMC or the OPD, you must immediately retain the services of a talented healthcare misconduct defense attorney. We recommend that you do not go through these investigations and meetings alone, as they are far more complicated than they may appear. And you should not do anything to jeopardize your chances of maintaining your medical license. Our medical law firm has decades of experience with handling cases just like yours, so please pick up the phone and give us a call today.
