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Board of Nursing Tag
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Do Doctors and Nurses Have to Self-Report to the Florida Department of Health if Arrested?
in Blog
In our society, Medical Professionals have always been held to a higher-than-average standard. Doctors, nurses, and physicians must abide by several professional rules of conduct that not many other employees have to keep in mind. This in turn also means that your personal life is up for scrutiny as well. Ethical standards and moral values are usually private assumptions but for those who have chosen the medical field, those normally private matters can have a deep affect your employment status. Any serious off-duty conduct issue must be reported, reviewed, and taken care of on a case-by-case basis.
Florida Requirements for Self-Reporting
In Florida, doctors are required to report all criminal activities committed after they receive their medical license even though it is not in relation to employment and occurs after regular working hours. Any report or complaint filed towards a medical professional will be investigated by the Florida Department of Health. Being placed under arrest can trigger disciplinary action from the state licensing boards. Medical disciplinary actions require a much lower burden of proof than federal cases. It is possible to be penalized, face Medicare/Medicaid exclusion, and potentially have your license revoked based on the severity of the crime and investigation. It is entirely possible that a physician can face the loss of their medical license even if an investigation does not result in criminal prosecution and a conviction at a trial.
Complaints Against Medical Professionals
The most common criminal concerns leading to the harshest disciplinary actions towards a medical professional involve healthcare fraud, solicitation, moral turpitude, dishonesty, or deceit in any jurisdiction in the state. According to the Florida Department of Health’s website, they do not carry out complaints regarding the fees charged for individual procedures, missed, or cancelled appointments, unfair customer service, rudeness or disrespect, bedside manner, professionalism or personality conflicts again medical professionals.
Complaints against medical professionals can lead the Board of Medicine to issue citations based on the type of and severity of the complaint. It is completely free to file complaints against medical professionals. The only potential fees may be for requesting copies of medical records if deemed necessary. Complaints remain confidential until the panel determines reasonable cause, and a violation is issued.
How to Report
According to the Florida Board of medicine, all criminal activities after receiving your medical license must be timely reported. The Board provides various options for reporting including email, online service portal, or via regular mail. If a complaint is issued via sending an email or letter, the correspondence must include the date of the offense, the activity that happened, and the county and state of jurisdiction. The complaint cannot reach processing without the proper information.
The Florida Department of Health’s Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) launched a user-friendly online portal. The portal was developed in collaboration with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to allow for easy reporting of any complaints again medical providers from fraud to unlicensed activity and violations. The portal offers education on the different federal agencies for complaints as well.
See below for email, website and address:
MQAOnlineService@FLHealth.Gov
www.mqa-vo.doh.state.fl.us./datamart/voservicesportal
Florida Department of Health
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It should be noted that I am not your lawyer (unless you have presently retained my services through a retainer agreement). This post is not intended as legal advice, it is purely educational and informational, and no attorney-client relationship shall result after reading it. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice. If you do not have one and would like to retain my legal services, please contact me using the contact information listed above.
All information and references made to laws, rules, regulations, and advisory opinions were accurate based on the law as it existed at this time, but laws are constantly evolving. Please contact me to be sure that the law which will govern your business is current. Thank you.
Sticky
Understanding the Intervention Project for Nurses Monitoring Contract
in Blog
If you are a nurse (i.e. LPN, RN, APRN, etc) and have decided to participate in the Intervention Project for Nurses (“IPN”) you will first have to undergo an evaluation, which will include an interview with an IPN approved doctor and a toxicology test. After this evaluation has been completed, IPN may suggest no monitoring or require that you enter into a monitoring contract.
Typically, you have roughly two weeks to sign the monitoring contract. Prior to signing the contract, you should thoroughly review the IPN Participant Manual so that you understand the requirements for participation. The last thing you want is to comply with the monitoring contract only to have your contract extended or have your case referred to the Board of Nursing because you failed to adhere to the Participant Manual’s requirements.
You will also receive a contract packet, which will include: (1) Progress Evaluation for Therapy Form; (2) Work Performance Evaluation Form; (3) Notice of Address/Employer Change; (4) IPN Medication Management Evaluation Form and (5) Medication Report. Depending on your situation you many not be required to complete all of these forms.
Requirements
Contract lengths typically vary from 2 – 5 years and you are required to keep your contact information updated throughout the term of the contract. IPN will review your participation after one year of active monitoring. If you comply with the terms of the contract they will grant you early completion and suspend your contract. For example, if you are have a 2 year contract term and you pass all of your toxicology testing and other requirements under the contract IPN may suspend the second year of your contract so that you can return to practice without any further obligations under the contract.
During the contract period you will be required to undergo random toxicology testing. This is an abstinence contract which means that you are prohibited from using mood altering, controlled or addictive substances including alcohol or alcohol-based products or THC/cannabis products (i.e. CBD, Hemp, etc.). This is true even if you are not participating in the IPN program for any of these specific products.
Periodically, you will need to check in with the Affinity eHealth/Spectrum Compliance App for your toxicology testing notification Monday through Friday. Again, to ensure the accuracy of your testing, you must adhere to the recommendations in the Random Toxicology Testing section of your Participation Manual.
You are required to complete and submit a quarterly self-report online via the Spectrum Compliance App. Quarterly reports are due in January, April, July and October. The App will have a complete list of reports due each quarter some of which can be downloaded from the available reports page by clicking on the PDF link.
Employment Expectations
Prior to accepting a position (paid or volunteer) and/or beginning nursing school clinicals, you are required to inform your immediate supervisor you are an IPN participant. Your position must include direct supervision by another licensed healthcare professional who is: (1) aware of your IPN participation; (2) working on the premises or same unit with periodic observation; (3) readily available to provide assistance and intervention; (4) willing to complete required employer report each quarter.
RNs must be supervised by another RN or APRN and LPNs must be supervised by RNs. LPNs may only be supervised by LPNs in nursing home facilities. You must immediately notify and/or obtain approval from IPN prior to starting or making any changes in any health care related position (i.e. resignation/termination, new employment, supervisor change, etc.) You are also required to work in nursing a minimum of twelve (12), eight (8) hour shifts per quarter while employed, to meet completion criteria.
Unless you have special approval from IPN you may not: (1) be self-employed or work for multiple employers; (2) work for more than 40 hours per week and/or more than 84 hours bi-weekly, if not working 12-hour shifts; (3) work for an agency, home hospice, home health, or float outside the areas supervised by your manager.
Current Status
Your Contract will also state your employment status. Depending on the severity of your condition you may be approved for employment in a supervised nursing position. You are required to provide your immediate supervisor with a copy of the Monitoring Contract and provide your supervisor’s email address to IPN for completion of your quarterly reports. You also need to provide IPN with the contact information for your current place of employment as well as the name of your immediate supervisor. If you fail to relay this information to IPN you may face immediate termination from the IPN program.
Review for Early Completing
As stated above, you may have your contract reviewed for early completion. However, it is contingent upon: (1) compliance with all terms of the Monitoring Contract; (2) negative toxicology tests; (3) minimum of six (6) consecutive months of negative toxicology tests preceding the contract completion date; (4) satisfactory work performance in a clinical nursing position for a minimum of one year; (5) if applicable, recommendation for completion form your Support Group Facilitator, employment supervisor, and treatment provider; and (6) if applicable, work successfully for six (6) months in a clinical nursing capacity subsequent to controlled substance restriction being lifted. For Board of Nursing participants, a readiness-to-complete evaluation is mandatory.
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It should be noted that I am not your lawyer (unless you have presently retained my services through a retainer agreement). This post is not intended as legal advice, it is purely educational and informational, and no attorney-client relationship shall result after reading it. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice. If you do not have one and would like to retain my legal services, please contact me using the contact information listed above.
All information and references made to laws, rules, regulations, and advisory opinions were accurate based on the law as it existed at this time, but laws are constantly evolving. Please contact me to be sure that the law which will govern your business is current. Thank you.
Sticky
Jamaal Jones Wins Against Florida Board of Nursing
in News
On June 6th, Jamaal R. Jones represented a client during a Board of Nursing hearing at the Streamsong Resort. The Board wanted to permanently revoke the client’s nursing license, pay over $15k in fines, etc. stemming from very serious allegations. Mr. Jones was able to secure a settlement of only 6 months of probation without an admission of guilt! Great result and a grateful client!
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Can a Registered Nurse Administer Botox?
in Blog
Those who run med spas, dental or dermatology practices are concerned about whether a registered nurse on staff can administer Botox without their direct supervision. Allowing them to do so would free up the physician’s schedule so that he can perform other procedures that his personnel is not permitted to do.
According to the Florida Board of Medicine, there are no laws and rules that address who can and cannot administer Botox injections in the state of Florida.
However, a 2017 Board of Nursing case[1] involved a Florida licensed Registered Nurse who was alleged to have violated Florida Statutes 456 and/or 464. In March 2016, the nurse administered Botox to multiple patients on multiple occasions. The Board of Nursing found that the nurse did not perform the Botox injections pursuant to a valid physician’s order. The Board of Nursing held that performing Botox injections without a physician’s order is beyond the scope permitted by law. Further, the nurse had reason to know that she was not competent to perform the Botox injections.
The Board referenced Florida Statute 464.018(1)(h) in its decision by stating that unprofessional conduct as defined by the board is grounds for disciplinary action. The Board also referred to Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B9-8.005(13), which provides that unprofessional conduct includes practicing beyond the scope of the licensee’s license, educational preparation or nursing experience. (emphasis added). Finally, the Board stated that the nurse engaged in unprofessional conduct by practicing beyond the scope of her license, educational preparation and/or nursing experience by performing Botox injections without a valid physician’s order.
In Florida, practicing medicine without a license is considered a 2nd degree misdemeanor. Additionally, the nurse could have had the following actions taken against her:
- license suspended or permanently revoked;
- restriction of practice;
- imposition of an administrative fine;
- issuance of reprimand;
- probation;
- refund of fees billed or collected;
- remedial education; and/or
- any other relief that he Board deemed appropriate.
Two things should be taken away from the decision in this case. First, just because there isn’t a specific law on the books regarding Botox injections doesn’t make it legal for a registered nurse to administer it to patients. Second, I thought that it was interesting that the Board stated that the nurse was not performing the Botox injections pursuant to a physician’s order. Many would view this sentence as specifically allowing a nurse to administer Botox injections only in situations where the nurse is doing so pursuant to a physician’s orders (not an NP, PA, ARNP). I don’t believe that to be true because the Board went on to state that even pursuant to a physician’s orders a registered nurse does not possess the requisite educational preparation to perform the procedure and that doing so would be practicing beyond the scope of her nursing license.
[1] Department of Health v. Trisha Lorraine White, R.N. Case Number 2016-13884
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It should be noted that I am not your lawyer (unless you have presently retained my services through a retainer agreement). This post is not intended as legal advice, it is purely educational and informational, and no attorney-client relationship shall result after reading it. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice. If you do not have one and would like to retain my legal services please contact me using the contact information listed above.
All of the information and references made to laws, regulations, and advisory opinions were accurate based on the law as it existed at this time, but laws are constantly evolving. Please contact me to be sure that the law which will govern your business is current. Thank you.
Sticky
Failed Pre-Employment Drug Test for Nursing Position
in Blog
Whether you are still in nursing school, just graduated from nursing school or seeking new employment as a nurse you will likely need take a drug test as part of the pre-employment process. Also, it is not uncommon for nurses and other healthcare providers to submit to random drug testing even after they are employed. Some nurses are taking illicit drugs and it should come as no surprise if they fail their drug test. However, there are individuals who are shocked to find out that they have failed a drug test because they are not knowingly taking any illicit drugs. Some nurses may have false positives on drug tests for various reasons not related to drug abuse. One common way that nurses fail drug tests is when they take prescription drugs that may contain prohibited drugs as part of the formula. For example, some drugs may contain a very small percentage of methamphetamine. Nurses who take prescription drugs without a prescription or any legitimate medical reason for using the drug can also subject your license to discipline.
If you have a legitimate problem with drugs or alcohol the Board of Nursing might require you to attend rehabilitation center or treatment facility. If you fail your drug test many hospitals require the nurse to self-report to the Intervention Project for Nurses (“IPN”). If you choose not to self-report they will likely report you. You should speak with a health law attorney to determine whether self-reporting to the IPN is the right decision for you. You should review your hospital’s policies and procedures manual to determine how the hospital handles these types of matters internally. The manual should also inform you of whether IPN reporting is mandatory or voluntary.
The IPN was created by the Florida Legislature and is the only case management program recognized by the Board of Nursing. The IPN is comprised of case managers, administrative staff and psychiatrists, psychologists, and addictionologists whose main goal is to determine whether the nurse can safely perform her duties. However, in some instances nurses may pursue private treatment options rather than the IPN. There are several factors that our firm will use to determine whether IPN Florida is the best option available for you to avoid significant licensing restrictions or revocation.
Nurses who submit to the IPN must sign a five year contract agreeing to monitoring, counseling meetings, regular psychiatric visits, random urinalysis testing, mandatory notification to all employers that you are in IPN and the reasons why and prohibitions on drinking alcohol or taking any medication without prior approval by IPN. Typically, it is impossible to depart the IPN program after you’ve agreed to be a part of it without losing your nursing license. In addition to losing your license you will be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and face exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Many nurses fail the IPN plan because they can’t afford to keep up with its requirements. Nurses are responsible for the costs of drug tests, collection fees, therapy sessions, and visits with addiction professionals. Failure to meet the requirements of the IPN program will result in your name being reported to the Department of Health and formal action will be taken against your license.
If you have failed your drug test you will receive correspondence from the Department of Health requiring you to relinquish your nursing license for a specified period of time. After that time period has expired, you may re-apply for your license and if granted you will be placed on a probationary status. While on probation you may be required to do periodic call-ins for random drug testing. Unfortunately, even after you’ve completed monitoring agreement with the IPN you could still have action taken against your nursing license.
If your attorney is unable to resolve the issue internally a complaint will be filed against you. If a complaint is filed against you will have to present yourself to a hearing at which time there will be a discussion of the evidence by a hearing officer or Probable Cause Panel. These hearings are governed by Florida’ Nurse Practice Act. If you can prove that the allegations against you are not true then the panel or hearing officer will rule in your favor. If you are unsuccessful at the hearing you can appeal the decision through the judicial system.
Before appearing before a Probable Cause Panel, you should obtain several character references, prior negative drug tests, polygraph testing, letter of explanation, letter of apology, and you should complete your own evaluation by a board-certified psychiatrist or addiction specialist. These materials will lessen the severity of the punishment handed down by the panel.
The Board of Nursing may issue a fine, reprimand of your nurse’s license, require evaluation by an IPN approved psychologist or addictionologist, or revocation of your license if the case is severe. Fines for first time offenses range from $250 to $500 and it can also include a suspension of your license and an IPN evaluation. Fines for second offenses include a $500 fine, possible suspension, and IPN evaluation, or a revocation of your license.
DOH investigators typically complete these types of investigations and report their findings within 45 days. If they determine that you were abusing drugs or alcohol the Surgeon General will issue an Emergency Suspension Order (“ESO”). The ESO will suspend your license pending the completion of the proceedings. During this time, the nurse will be unable to practice in Florida and most likely in any other jurisdiction where he holds a license.
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It should be noted that I am not your lawyer (unless you have presently retained my services through a retainer agreement). This post is not intended as legal advice, it is purely educational and informational, and no attorney-client relationship shall result after reading it. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice. If you do not have one and would like to retain my legal services please contact me using the information listed above.
All of the information and references made to laws, regulations, and advisory opinions were accurate based on the law as it existed at this time, but laws are constantly evolving. Please contact me to be sure that the law which will govern your business is current. Thank you.