As someone who makes a living working as a nurse, it makes sense that you would feel anxious and nervous upon receiving notification that someone has filed a nursing board complaint against you. A complaint made to the Texas Board of Nursing has the potential to threaten your professional license, which could have a monumental impact on your ability to earn a living and support yourself.
The actions you take in the aftermath of receiving a nursing board complaint can have a substantial impact on your case and your ability to hold on to your license. Therefore, it is critical you take the complaint seriously and respond to it accordingly if you wish to protect and preserve your professional reputation. When you receive word someone filed a complaint against you with the nursing board, there are a couple of things to make sure to do:
Adhere to deadlines
Blowing a deadline relating to your complaint is a surefire way to make more trouble for yourself. When you first receive word about the complaint, your notification should contain information about how long you have to respond to it. Missing the deadline looks bad and makes it harder for you to defend yourself. It could also potentially lead to sanctions against you.
Keep quiet
Once you become the subject of an official nursing board complaint, it will typically serve you well to avoid speaking about it with anyone other than your attorney. In some cases, you may end up sharing information with people who end up being witnesses against you. Furthermore, avoid discussing the matter with the person who complained about you in the first place. While you may feel as if you may be able to “explain it away,” this is rarely the case.
You may understandably feel anguish anytime your professional reputation comes into question. However, by responding to a complaint promptly and maintaining discretion throughout the process, you may be able to find a favorable solution.