July Enewsletter – The Traveler Issue
NEWS
Thousands Of Calif Nurses Punished In Other States
State officials say thousands of California’s registered nurses have been punished for misconduct in other states and some even lost nursing licenses.
The State Board of Registered Nursing has discovered that some 3,500 of its nurses have been sanctioned in other states. Up to 2,000 of them now face discipline in California.The board examination was prompted by a Times-ProPublica investigation last year that examined a national database and found many California nurses got into trouble elsewhere for sexual abuse, neglect, rampant drug use and criminality.
Department of Consumer Affairs deputy director Paul Riches says the huge number of new disciplinary cases will be challenging for his department, which oversees the agencies that license nurses.
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Everyone Blames the Travel Nurse
At present, RNG has about 4 clients that are travel nurses and there is a consensus among them that “everyone blames the traveler”, which makes perfect sense to us. Travel nurses are by nature impermanent fixtures, and therefore much easier to throw under the bus.
Investigations into a RN license are a result of a few things:
- An anonymous complaint that can be made by anyone: a co-worker, a disgruntled patient or patients family member, a facility administrator, anyone.
- Any disciple by a government agency or conviction whether a misdemeanor, felony, or infraction over $300.00, or anything involving a controlled substance or alcohol. This includes any charge whether it has been dismissed, reduced or expunged.
Given the arbitrary nature of instigating a complaint, it would make sense that if something goes wrong, the travel nurse is an easy scapegoat. RNG is sensitive to this and will zealously advocate for the traveler, just as we do for all of our members.
If you work with any traveling nurses, let them know about the protection that RNG has to offer, they will thank you!
Click here for the rest of the July Enewsletter
