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Can My Social Media Posts Put My Illinois Nursing License in Jeopardy?
Social media platforms have become an integral part of many people's daily lives, often without realizing just how integral. People post photos, comments, opinions, and memes on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, and several other sites on a regular basis. While social media is often a good place for keeping in touch with family and friends, and even networking, it is crucial to be vigilant about what you are posting, especially if you work in certain fields, such as nursing. In fact, items from your social media posts could ultimately be used against you in any actions taken against you by the Illinois Board of Nursing.
Conduct That Is Unprofessional
Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of having someone tag us in a photo that we think we look horrible in. It is now out there for everyone to see. However, if you are tagged in a photo that also shows you engaging in behavior that may be considered inappropriate or unprofessional, the photos can be used as evidence against you as ground for any disciplinary action by the state nursing board.
Do I Need an Attorney to Defend My Professional License Against a Complaint?
In Illinois, there are a number of different professional licensing boards that all fall under the umbrella of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Any individual who holds a professional license in the state of Illinois is under the oversight of whatever board issued that license. When there is a complaint or other issue filed against an individual, that board will be the one to investigate the complaint, determine if there is validity to it, and decide if any disciplinary action should be taken against the person who holds that license.
Anyone who has been notified that they are under investigation should contact an Illinois professional license defense attorney right away in order to ensure their rights are protected in any investigation and/or hearings that take place. Choosing the right attorney, however, is critical.
What Happens When an Employer Files a Complaint with the Illinois Medical Board?
Not every job turns out the way we hope. It is not uncommon for a medical professional – just like any other profession – to find themselves at odds with their supervisor or manager. Although many of these disagreements may be worked out, there are unfortunately instances where no resolutions are able to be met and the employee either leaves or is fired. In extremely acrimonious situations, the employer may even make accusations of wrongdoing against the employee and threaten or actually file a complaint with the Illinois board that oversees that medical professional’s license. If you find yourself in this position, contact an Illinois medical license defense attorney right away for legal assistance.
Reporting Misconduct of an Employee
If an employer believes that one of their employees has committed some kind of act or behavior that violates the standards set forth by the state of Illinois, their employer not only has a right to report that violation, but they also have a legal duty.
Steps to Take to Protect Your Illinois Nursing License
Nurses are a special breed of people. They dedicate their lives to taking care of others, often at the expense of time spent with their own loved ones. To become a nurse, they spend several years going to school and training and continue that education during their careers to stay abreast of the most up-to-date medical care for patients and meet the requirements of the Illinois Board of Nursing. Given the amount of dedication and sacrifice a nurse pours into their career, it is imperative to take all the necessary steps to ensure their nursing license is protected. All it takes is one false or misleading allegation, and a nurse can find themselves facing disciplinary action or even loss of their nursing license.
Complaints that May Lead to a Nursing License Investigation
The Illinois Board of Nursing is tasked with overseeing all licensed nursing professionals in the state. A complaint made to the board will trigger an investigation into whether the allegations being made are true and – if they are – what disciplinary action is warranted. Any nurse who is notified by the board that there has been a complaint filed against them should contact an Illinois professional license defense attorney right away.
Are You Facing Allegations of Telehealth Fraud in Illinois?
Last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the country went into lockdown, one of the many changes that were implemented was how doctors and other healthcare providers saw patients. Instead of in-person appointments, patients consulted with their physicians via telehealth video calls. Although much of the country has opened up, many doctors are still using telehealth for appointments. However, along with this newer technology comes new opportunities for healthcare billing fraud. It can also leave healthcare providers unknowingly committing a crime that can result in criminal charges and loss of their medical license.
Telehealth Expansion
Telehealth uses video technology to connect doctors with their patients for medical checkups. This technology allows patients to communicate with their doctors any medical concerns they have and allows doctors to provide medical advice and treatments, without the risk of exposing either party to COVID. While telehealth has been used for years in rural areas or areas where there are no nearby healthcare providers, its use has become very widespread throughout the country during and post-pandemic.
Defending Against Accusations of Patient Abandonment in Illinois
When you own or are part of a medical practice, you may have long-term patients who have been coming to you for their healthcare needs for years. You may also have patients who are only short-term – maybe they move away and that means changing physicians, or your practice is no longer covered under their health insurance plan, or maybe they just decide to change doctors. However, there may be the occasion where you yourself decide you need to end a relationship with one of your patients. While you may think that you have every right to choose who you take on as patients and who you do not, how you terminate a patient relationship may result in accusations of patient abandonment.
Terminating a Patient
There are a number of valid reasons why a doctor may make the decision to end a relationship with a patient:
Defending Your Illinois Medical License Against Charges of Sexual Harassment
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) workplace sexual harassment continues to be a major issue in the United States. Although significant strides have been made in the prevention and elimination of sexual harassment in the workplace, there is still far to go. Workplace sexual harassment can be found in just about every industry, and the medical field is no exception. And while accusations of workplace sexual harassment can wreak havoc in any employer’s life, when a physician is accused of inappropriate behavior, it can also mean the loss of their medical license.
Workplace Sexual Harassment Continues to Exist in the United States
More than 6,500 complaints of workplace sexual harassment were filed with the EEOC in 2020, a decrease of about 1,000 complaints as compared to the year before. Although there are several factors which may play into that decrease, the COVID-19 pandemic causing business shutdowns and many employees working at home may have been a significant one. Unfortunately, the EEOC also estimates that a great many incidents of workplace sexual harassment go unreported because the victims fear there will be retaliation, the belief that nobody will believe the allegations to be true, and the belief that nothing will be done to stop the harassing behavior.
Should Licensed Professionals in Illinois Purchase Professional Liability Insurance?
It is a given in the medical community that any type of physician should have medical malpractice insurance. In today’s litigious society, with thousands of malpractice lawsuits filed every year, just one malpractice claim against a doctor could destroy them financially, both professionally and personally. However, many other licensed professionals, such as nurses, social workers, and counselors,can also face serious allegations that can impact their career and finances. Yet, many of these professionals do not have any kind of liability insurance to cover the costs of these claims. This is why having professional liability insurance can be a safety net to professional and financial disaster.
Why You May Need Your Own Policy
Most nurses and social workers are covered under their employers’ liability insurance policies. For example, a nurse who works in a hospital would be covered under that hospital’s policy if a patient filed a malpractice lawsuit and that nurse was one of the parties named in the suit. However, that policy may not cover the cost to that nurse of defending his or her license before the Illinois Board of Nursing for any complaints that may result in that lawsuit.
Illinois Doctors Arrested for DUI Must Also Defend Their Medical Licenses
The winter holiday season is usually made up of get-togethers with family and friends, holiday work parties, and other celebrations. There is often alcohol involved in many of these gatherings and sometimes people can over imbibe. When an intoxicated individual gets behind the wheel, they may face charges for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The consequences of a DUI conviction in Illinois can have a significant impact on anyone’s life, but if you are a doctor, a DUI conviction can also have an impact on your medical license and professional reputation.
DUI Penalties for Conviction
Anyone who is arrested for DUI in Illinois must face both the criminal justice system and the Secretary of State’s office in an administrative hearing. A person who refuses to submit to a chemical test faces an automatic loss of driving privileges under the Illinois implied consent laws. Failure of chemical testing also can result in automatic loss of license.
Is Your Illinois Pharmacist License at Risk?
Pharmacists, just like many other professionals, are required to complete necessary education and training related to their field, and then obtain their license through the state of Illinois. The agency that is in charge of licensing and regulation over the state’s approximately 20,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is the Illinois Board of Pharmacy, which is part of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).
Part of the oversight the pharmacy board has is handling all complaints and investigations, as well as taking any appropriate disciplinary actions. If you have received notification from the board that they are investigating a complaint against you or conducting an investigation for any other reason, it is important to contact an Illinois professional license defense attorney right away.
Reasons for an Illinois Board of Pharmacy Disciplinary Action
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