Let us say that you relocated to Texas to take a position as Nurse Practitioner with a small physician’s group. No sooner had you settled in when your supervisor told you to make a change to a medical record so that it would support a certain billing code. You followed instructions, but that was a big mistake.
Changing a medical record is a fraudulent activity, and now your nursing license is in jeopardy. Fortunately, experienced legal help is available.
A catch-all term
The nursing board that will review your case may use the term “unprofessional conduct” as a catch-all phrase for various kinds of perceived wrongdoing. A board may accuse a nurse of improperly maintaining the approved level of patient care, improper maintenance of patient records or drug or alcohol issues, among other citations. If you are found guilty of the charge that has been made against you, you can expect disciplinary action at the very least. You may even lose your professional license.
Trying to comply
Medical coding and billing can easily become problem areas for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. Since you do your best to comply with regulations, follow the system and perform your coding duties accurately, your intuition may have told you to ignore the request of your supervisor to alter a medical record. Although you reluctantly complied, you were right to follow up by seeking legal advice.
Going before the BON
You should have an advocate to help you when you go before the Texas Board of Nursing. There may be a hearing or an informal settlement conference, but in either case, an attorney can provide you with a strong defense. The goal is to achieve the most successful outcome possible for your case, including the protection of your professional license. An attorney who knows the law and has experience representing medical professionals in licensing matters is standing by to assist.