It may seem easy to lose a nursing license, but the truth of the matter is that it is extremely difficult. There are processes in place to give nurses the benefit of the doubt and help them retain their documentation. From honest mistakes to total crimes, nurses have lost their licenses in a number of ways.
Some of the most common ways for nurses to lose their licenses include developing an addiction to prescription medication and abusing patients. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of ways nurses have lost their licenses, and some of them may surprise you.
1. Hosting a pornographic website
Some nurses have, in fact, lost their licenses due to their association with pornographic websites. Years ago, moral turpitude was the phrase used to describe this. Now professionals refer to it as unprofessional conduct.
2. Mail fraud
In this case, the mail fraud does not have to be directly related to a person’s nursing duties. However, if that person faces a mail fraud conviction, which is a felony, then he or she will face a loss of license in addition to any other penalties brought on by the court.
3. False license copy
This is another action that is quite rare but does occur from time to time. Some nurses will have their licenses suspended, preventing them from working. To work around this, the nurse creates a false copy of the license so that he or she can work for the time being. That suspended license can become completely revoked when someone discovers the misdeeds.
4. Routine unprofessional conduct
Unprofessional conduct can be a bit subjective. In some circles, it can range from using inappropriate language in the workplace to having an affair with co-workers. Most of the time, unprofessional conduct will lead to a suspended license. However, if the behavior continues, then a fully revoked license will ensue.