Posted on April 17, 2018 in Nursing License Defense

Studying to become a nurse takes a lot of time and effort. There are many hours spent working toward the Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. After the degree has been received, then the graduate will need to apply for a nursing license to be able to practice in his or her chosen field. If the licensee is impaired for any reason, then there are steps that need to be taken to settle the situation.

Mandatory Reporting for the Impaired Nursing Licensee

If a licensed nurse is impaired on the job because of the use of alcohol or drugs, or if he or she unlawfully possesses, uses, or distributes drugs while on the job, then the institution that has knowledge of these actions may report the licensed nurse to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. However, if the licensed nurse agrees to participate in a course of remedial professional counseling or substance abuse treatment, he or she may not need to be reported.

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 Posted on March 26, 2018 in Dentist License Defense

Dental school is a rigorous program that comes with many hours of studying and testing. There are some requirements to be a dental hygienist, and the duties of a dental hygienist are not the same as a dentist. Dental hygienists often work closely with the dentist and other personnel, but their duties as more restricted.

What Tasks Can a Dental Hygienist Perform?

In Illinois, a dental hygienist can perform the procedures of dental hygiene, dental health education functions, and all other procedures that may be performed by a trained dental assistant. A dental hygienist may also record observed case histories and oral conditions.

A dental hygienist may also administer and monitor nitrous oxide under the supervision of a dentist. He or she may also assist in providing moderate sedation, deep sedation, local anesthesia, and general anesthesia, as long as the dental hygienist is under the dentist’s supervision.

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 Posted on March 12, 2018 in Medical License Defense

The medical field comes with many different challenges, as any occupation within this field is responsible for the health and well-being of patients who are treated. There are many different occupations in the medical field, and many individuals studying medicine begin their careers by becoming a physician assistant. Like physicians and many other medical occupations, there are licensing requirements for physician assistants, and it is very important to familiarize yourself with the requirements so there are no discrepancies in your application for licensure.

How Are Physician Assistants Important in Healthcare?

A physician assistant is a certified and state-licensed medical professional, and is very important in the medical field, as they have undergone extensive training and have passed an examination for licensure and certification. Like physicians, the physician assistants can also diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication. As physician assistants are very high in demand, the most successful healthcare facilities have relied on physician assistants for the success. From the years 2011 to 2014, the demand for physician assistants had increased by more than 300 percent.

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 Posted on February 23, 2018 in Pharmacy License Defense

Working toward the pharmacy license takes much time and effort. For domestic applicants, meaning those who have obtained education for the pharmacy license in the United States, the requirements are different from those who have obtained education for the pharmacy license internationally. There are tests that international applicants may have to take to determine their status of qualification for the pharmacy license.

The Application Process for International Applicants

Pharmacy license applicants who have graduated from a professional degree program from outside the United States or its territories should submit proof of a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee Certificate, or FPGEC. Also, the applicant needs to successfully pass the preliminary diagnostic examination, called the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Program, which determines the equivalence of education to approved programs.

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 Posted on February 09, 2018 in Psychologist/ Social Worker License Defense

Earning a psychology license takes a lot of work. The licensee has to take many classes on different aspects of psychology, depending on his or her chosen field. As there are many different career paths for an aspiring psychologist, the educational requirements are relatively similar. The licensee must obtain his or her Bachelor’s degree, as well as a Master’s, depending on the type of career he or she chooses to pursue. However, maintaining the psychologist license is not necessarily permanent, as there are ways for the licensee to lose his or her psychologist license.

Examples of Psychologist License Misconduct

There are many reasons why a licensee may lose his or her psychologist license. If there is any finding of unethical, unauthorized, and unprofessional conduct, then the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Division of Professional Regulation has the right to suspend or revoke a psychologist license, refuse to issue or renew a license, or take other forms of disciplinary action if necessary

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 Posted on January 26, 2018 in Medical License Defense

It takes many years to master the medical field, by taking a certain number of classes and shadowing licensed medical physicians. Many years are put into the effort of understanding all topics of the human body and how it works. After all of the hard work of finally obtaining the medical physician’s license, there are ways that the status of the credentials and qualifications for the medical physician’s licensure is verified, and that the applicant is still in good standing. It is very important to know for sure that you meet the requirements for licensure, as to avoid any potential legal issues in the future.

The License Verification Process

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) states that all applications must independently verify their qualifications for licensure. This is to make sure that all credentials are authentic. Credentials that have already been verified can be submitted from any organization where the requirements have been met, or the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS). It is not mandatory for applicants to submit the FCVS profile, as it is not required to obtain your medical physician’s license.

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 Posted on December 29, 2017 in Pharmacy License Defense

Studying to become a pharmacist will take several years, from taking extensive biology and chemistry classes in college to attending pharmacy school. Receiving one’s license to become a pharmacist proves to be very rewarding. In order to apply for a pharmacist license, one needs to know, in complete detail, how to apply and what is required in the application process.

Required Licensing Fees

To apply to become a licensed pharmacist, the applicant must pay $75 at the time of the application process. Also, the applicant must pay a fee to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that covers the cost of determining his or her eligibility and providing of an application examination. If the applicant fails to appear at the time of the examination on the scheduled date, then he or she will forfeit the examination and the required fees.

Every year, the licensed pharmacist must pay a $75 renewal fee for his or her license. If the licensed pharmacist restores his or her license after inactive status, then he or she must pay a $50 fee, plus all other lapsed fees.

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 Posted on December 15, 2017 in Chiropractor/ Physical Therapist License Defense

Obtaining a physical therapist’s license comes with many challenges. Years are spent studying human physiology and anatomy and learning how to correctly fix problems with the human body. Earning the license can be seen as one of the greatest accomplishments in starting the profession in physical therapy. In order to maintain the physical therapist’s license, there are rules and guidelines that the licensee must follow. If the licensee does not follow these guidelines, then he or she may face some very serious consequences.

Types of Unprofessional Conduct

Unfortunately, there have been cases regarding physical therapists who have not lived up to their licensing standards and agreements. Committing unprofessional conduct is serious, and there may be consequences that follow. Some examples of unprofessional conduct include but are not limited to:

• Promoting sales, goods, appliances, or drugs to exploit a patient or client for the licensee’s personal gain;

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 Posted on November 29, 2017 in Medical License Defense

Studying to become a nurse takes a lot of time and effort. There are many courses that must be passed, clinicals that must be successfully completed, and good recommendations from mentors and professors. While on the job, a nurse’s license is always on the line. If a nurse makes even a minor mistake that seriously injures a patient, then his or her license may be grounds for revocation. In this profession, it is important for nurses to stay up-to-date on new laws and practices by participating in continuing education requirements.

Continuing Education Requirements

All registered nurses must complete 20 hours of continuing education for their 2-year license renewal cycle. If a nurse is renewing his or her license for the first time, then there is no requirement for renewal. The following are also required:

• A $40 fee for the renewal of a nursing license per year, or $80 at the time of the 2-year renewal;

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 Posted on November 15, 2017 in Psychologist/ Social Worker License Defense

The field of psychology can go in many different directions. Although most psychology students choose to pursue a career in counseling and similar services, there are also other career paths, such as psychological research, business development, and organizational communications, to name a few. For those who are pursuing a career in counseling, there are several licensing requirements that must be met before the applicant can receive his or her clinical psychology license.

Requirements for the Clinical Psychology License

To receive the license to practice clinical psychology, the applicant must have graduated from a doctoral program in counseling, school, or clinical psychology that has accreditation by the American Psychological Association and approval from the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. The applicant must also finish two years of supervised clinical, counseling, or school psychology experience.

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