It can be easy to forget that licensed professionals are subject to the same job stressors and performance inhibitors as everyone else. Problems at home may be taking a toll in the office. Addictions to medications, drug abuse, or mental health matters might be posing a danger to a professional and/or his or her patients.
In order to remain licensed, many professions impose continuing education requirements. Yet remaining in good standing with a license is really a continuous process: In reality, a doctor, nurse or other health provider takes a license or certification into his or her own hands with every professional act. Accordingly, a proactive approach to maintaining one’s right to work may require a smart strategy. This is what is meant by professional license defense.
The first step to safeguarding one’s professional standing is to recognize the issues that may undermine it. This is not necessarily a blanket formula, as a variety of factors may affect one’s job performance. Substance abuse is clearly a red flag, but feelings of depression or other mental health concerns may take an equally negative toll on one’s work.
By staying alert to how one is performing work duties, an individual can seek out the relevant help and support. Often, there are also many opportunities to nip a problem in the bud. For example, concerns from colleagues, or perhaps even an unfavorable work critique, could provide a timely warning.
If a threat to one’s job performance has progressed to a more serious stage, such as an impending administrative hearing, a professional should not hesitate to consult with an attorney that focuses on professional license defense. An attorney can provide advocacy for the legal matters while also helping an individual take the personal steps needed to restore his or her work habits to a healthy balance.
Source: “Abuse, Dependency & Mental Health Issues,” copyright 2016, Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn
