You need to have a nursing license to work as a nurse in Pennsylvania, but once you have a nursing license, there are certain actions that may threaten it. If someone files a complaint against you, there is the potential for you to lose that license, making it impossible to continue to earn your living as a nurse. However, there are several preventative steps you might take to reduce the chance of your nursing license undergoing suspension or revocation.
Per the Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nursing, taking the following steps may help keep your nursing license in good standing and reduce the threat of a patient, colleague or someone else filing a complaint against you.
1. Take meticulous records
In some cases, having clear documentation of what you did and why you did it is enough to counter a nursing board complaint. Take extreme care and attention to detail when charting and talking with patients about their options and treatments. You want your patient charts to show that you followed protocols, identified errors and advocated for your patients’ needs.
2. Avoid public social media use
It may surprise you how often social media comes into play in nursing board complaint cases. Anything you post online has the potential to come back to bite you. Think twice, especially, before posting any pictures showing you partying or drinking alcohol.
3. Maintain open communications
Maintaining open communications with patients and colleagues may also help you ward off nursing board complaints. Those who feel close to you may be less likely to try to take disciplinary action against you.
If you do become the subject of a nursing board complaint, try not to panic. A complaint, alone, does not necessarily mean you are going to lose your nursing license.