Have a License, but not working as a nurse? You had better read this!!

Do you have a nursing license and are not currently working as a nurse? If so, you should read the Texas Board's proposed CUE rules because they will affect you. Go to the Board's website and click on the May 15, 2009 proposed rules for Chapter 216. The new rules require nurses to demonstrate continuing competency in the nurse's specific area of practice. The problem is that if you are not working as a nurse, you do not have an "area of practice."

Every nurse that this impacts needs to immediately read the rules and send a comment to the Board detailing how they would be impacted by the new rules. According to the Board "To be considered, written comments on the proposal or any request for a public hearing must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 14, 2009, to James W. Johnston, General Counsel, Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, or by e-mail to dusty.johnston@bon.state.tx.us, or faxed to (512) 305-8101. An additional copy of the comments on the proposal or any request for a public hearing must be simultaneously submitted to Denise Benbow, Nursing Practice Consultant, Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, or by e-mail to denise.benbow@bon.state.tx.us, or faxed to (512) 305-8101. If a hearing is held, written and oral comments presented at the hearing will be considered.

Economic downturn and nursing

As I hear and read about the financial outlook for the US and I see the legislation that is getting signed into law for Texas nurses, I want to take the time to urge ALL nurses to get malpractice insurance. The insurance is not to protect you against lawsuits (but it does), it is to insure your license. Most malpractice insurance policies protect a nurse's license in Regulatory actions or what is commonly called licensure defense.

It is awful to have a complaint filed you, but to then not be able to afford legal assistance is stressful. Insurance policies are not expensive especially when you consider that you are insuring your career. In my January 2009 blog, I list some commonly found insurance companies/agents in order to give nurses a place to start searching for a policy. And if someone tells you that you don't need a policy, don't believe them. I have posted replies to all the myths surrounding malpractice insurance.