Nursing Board Complaints and Investigations in Maryland

According to the rules and procedures of the Maryland Board of Nursing, anyone may file a complaint against a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, certified nursing assistant, medication technician, or advanced practice registered nurse. Moreover, those in certain positions are required to file reports if they know of a condition that could provide grounds for a license suspension or revocation, and those individuals are immune from civil lawsuits.

Therefore, Board procedures may have a propensity to encourage the filing of complaints. If a complaint has been filed against you, it is important to understand how to protect your rights and your options for response. A defense attorney could help during the process of Nursing Board complaints and investigations in Maryland. Contact a seasoned nursing license defense lawyer today.

Filing a Complaint

Although anyone may file a complaint, the Board will not accept anonymous complaints. Those filing are asked to fill out the official complaint form and provide a detailed description of the incident providing grounds for the complaint. This includes dates, identification of the patient, and the specific actions (or failure to act) on the part of the nurse or other medical professional involved.

The individual filing the complaint should also include supporting documentation such as copies of patient records and photos. Text messages and social media posts may also be submitted as evidence in Nursing Board complaints and investigations in Maryland.

The Nursing Board Investigation

After the Board receives a complaint, they assign an investigator to the case. The investigator usually contacts the nurse under investigation and informs them of the general allegations in the complaint. As part of the information provided, the investigator should inform the nurse of the opportunity to submit a written response. An attorney could help in preparing this response.

The investigator will also arrange one or more meetings as part of Nursing Board complaints and investigations in Maryland. During the investigation, the investigator can subpoena documents and obtain sworn statements from anyone with information about the grounds of the complaint.

The process of investigation could continue for close to a year. At the end of the investigation, the investigator prepares a Report of Investigation and submits it to the Nursing Board.

The Outcome of a Nursing Board Investigation

After reviewing the investigator’s report, the Maryland Board of Nursing will vote on whether they should dismiss the case, prosecute the case, or seek another form of resolution. Prosecutions are undertaken by the Attorney General’s Office.

At this point, there may be an attempt to negotiate a settlement. If that effort does not meet with success, Nursing Board complaints and investigations in Maryland continue with an evidentiary hearing. The accused nurse will have the opportunity to present evidence presented by the prosecution and to cross-examine witnesses. The hearing proceeds much like a criminal trial.

Get Help During Nursing Board Complaints and Investigations in Maryland

The result of a Maryland Board of Nursing investigation can have a serious impact on the life and career of a nurse. It is crucial for everyone against whom a complaint is filed to have the opportunity to defend their conduct.

An experienced attorney could help in a number of ways during Nursing Board complaints and investigations in Maryland. In addition to assisting with written documents such as the response to the initial complaint, a knowledgeable legal advocate could help prepare those accused for oral presentations so that they can explain their side of the story accurately and completely.

In their zeal to protect the public from potentially harmful or negligent conduct by nurses, the Board may look for wrongdoing where none exists. Nurses should be ready to defend their rights during the complaint and investigation process.