Nursing has always been a valued and esteemed profession — candidly, a calling of the heart – in California and elsewhere. Skilled nurses play a key role in care delivery and the promotion of optimal patient outcomes.
It’s no surprise that becoming a nurse in California is a challenging proposition. Employment in the profession is preceded by mandatory training that is both lengthy and thorough. Licensing credentials are hard-earned.
As such, they need to be protected. California’s nursing profession is closely regulated by the state Board of Registered Nursing, which licenses and certifies RNs and other nurses.
Notably, a core focus of the BRN is on the oversight of complaints directed toward nurses, along with subsequent investigations and meted-out disciplinary actions.
Adverse outcomes in any given case can be flatly extreme. Some allegations stressing negligence or bad-faith conduct can result in license suspension or revocation, with a corresponding job loss.
A recent national article specifically spotlights one nemesis that can potentially short-circuit the career of a California nurse in a hurry. That is student loan debt, which regulators in a minority of American states cite as justification for challenging a professional license.
Student loan exactions are a stark challenge for many millions of Americans, of course. But threatening to yank a license based on a potential or actual default might reasonably strike many of our readers as a draconian government response. The above-cited U.S. News & World Report understandably terms it a “punitive tactic.”
Unfortunately, California is one of 13 states that still sanctions the practice in select instances. Facing board or other administrative discipline because of a repayment challenge can yield the ironic result that a license holder might be denied the opportunity to earn the very money needed to satisfy debt obligations.
The license-defense team at the law firm of Kravitz & Chan in Sacramento comprises proven attorneys collectively commanding many decades of on-point and demonstrated advocacy on behalf of diverse and valued professional clients.
Your license was painstakingly earned and is the lifeline underpinning your success and future aspirations. A knowledge and aggressive attorney team that focuses solely on license defense can help protect your livelihood.