Florida Nursing Law: Not Maintaining Continuing Education

As a licensed nurse in the State of Florida, you know you must adhere to the rules and regulations that govern your license. One of those rules and regulations mandates that you complete certain requirements related to continuing education. As a busy professional, it may be difficult sometimes to remember to complete your education requirements, but not doing so could lead to an investigation of your health care license from an investigator with the Florida Department of Health. Have you received a letter or been contacted by an investigator with the Florida Department of Health concerning a complaint or investigation of your license? This article will show you what can happen if disciplinary action is taken against your nursing license and options you may have.

Your most recent reporting cycle has passed for your continuing education requirements. You believe you completed all of your education requirements and are continuing to practice nursing in Florida. One day, an investigator with DOH tries to contact you after you receive a notice in the mail of an investigation into your license. The state of Florida is accusing you of failing to comply with educational course requirements! The investigator wants to interview you to get your side of the story. Should you talk to them? Often times we recommend not contacting the DOH investigator until you have spoken with an experienced health care attorney. The results could be detrimental to your well being if you go it alone. The penalties imposed by the Board of Medicine can be severe. If you are disciplined in Florida for failing to comply with educational course requirements, you could face the following.

	Minimum Discipline	Maximum Discipline
First Offense	Reprimand and $250 fine	$500 fine and suspension until licensee complies
Second Offense	$500 fine and suspension until licensee complies	$750 fine and suspension until licensee complies, followed by probation

For a first offense, you could face a reprimand and a fine of $250, up to a fine of $500 and suspension of your license until you comply with your educational course requirements. The same fate can happen for a second offense with higher fines and probation. Your health care license can be suspended for this offense! The State of Florida takes the educational course requirements for nurses very seriously. 

However, it is important to note these penalties are not set in stone. The Board of Nursing can take into account any number of aggravating or mitigating factors to increase or lessen the penalties set forth in the rules. When you have an experienced health care attorney defending your license, you stand a much better chance of receiving a lower penalty, or even of getting the complaint against you dismissed.

Should you have any questions or would like additional information about the Board of Nursing investigation/disciplinary process,  please feel free to contact the law firm of Howell, Buchan & Strong, Attorneys at Law at 850-877-7776 to set up your FREE no-obligation consultation with attorney Jeff Howell or attorney Rickey Strong today.   DOH and the Board of Nursing have experienced attorneys on their side.  Shouldn’t you!