The Nursing Board receives hundreds of complaints each year.  The Board is required to conduct some investigation on all complaints. Some investigations are closed with no disciplinary action taken against the nurse. However, in many cases the investigation can lead to criminal charges or to a suspension of a nurse’s RN or LPN license.  It is important to be proactive to have the investigation closed.  If the Nursing Board closes its investigation, no public record is created.

The process:

You may be contacted by a Nursing Board investigator at your home or place of employment. You do not have to speak with the investigator immediately. It is important to have legal counsel present whenever speaking with a Board investigator.   At the completion of the investigation, if the Board finds no violation or that there is a minor violation of their laws and rules, often they close the investigation. http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/PDFS/Discipline/BoardPolMinorVio4723.pdf

What if the Nursing Board finds a substantial violation?

If the Board does not close its investigation, in many cases the Board will offer the nurse a Consent Agreement that will implement some discipline such as a Reprimand, Suspension or Probation of their nursing license. Or, the Board may offer the nurse a right to a hearing.  However, all discipline issued by the Nursing Board will be placed on the Nursing Board website and will become a part of your permanent professional record.

So, before rushing off to speak with or provide a statement to the Nursing Board or criminal investigator, it is important to seek experienced legal counsel to assist you as any information provided to the investigator can and will be used against you by your licensing board.