Will I lose my license?

This is always a question I get asked by nurses facing investigations by the Texas Board of Nursing. It comes from seeing so many names in the Board’s newsletter that have been revoked or suspended. The majority of nurses listed in the revocation section are there because they did not respond to the Board’s inquires or they allowed their case to proceed to a hearing and they failed to show up at the hearing. A few may not have even known that the Board was investigating them because the nurses failed to keep their address current with the Board and thus never received notification of the investigation/hearing.

The Board usually seeks revocation or suspension in cases where there is a concern for patient safety, such as an addicted nurse that is not in good recovery or an incompetent nurse that cannot be educated. If there is a violation, most nurses receive stipulations, not revocation. However, the amount and type of stipulations depends on how a nurse presents his/her case to the Board, which is why it is important to seek appropriate legal counsel.