WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

Reported to the Board of Nursing Have you been reported to your state board of nursing? Are you facing discipline by the board of nursing? Have you recieved an initial complaint letter or proposed charges from the nursing board? Or are you set to attend a board of nursing hearing? If you are in any of these positions call us, we can help. We are a group of Registered Nurses and experienced Nurse Legal Consultants. We provide nurse led case management to assist nurses in responding to complaints received from State Boards of Nursing. We will work with you in formulating your defense and responses to the board of nursing. We assist nurses without attorney representation or we will work with you and your license defense attorney. Our team includes experienced nurses from a variety of clinical specialties. All of our nurse consultants have extensive clinical experience and are thoroughly familiar with the process of a nursing board investigation and the nursing board disciplinary process. We work with you by assigning you a Case Manager and a Masters prepared, former board of nursing investigator consults on every case. A few of the services we offer are: Researching the applicable standard of care and evidenced based literature to rebut board of nursing charges; Address each allegation or charge as to how the Nurse Practice Act and applicable law was adhered to or breached. Identify mitigating circumstances or system errors that lead to the error or breach in the standard of care of Nurse Practice Act; Determining if the assigned nursing board investigator is qualified by experience, and education to speak to the standard of care being represented (nurse licensing investigators often are not experienced in the specialty area of nursing involved or they may not even be a nurse. Many investigators are criminal investigators with no nursing experience); Assistance in obtaining early the nurse’s board file and any evidence in the nursing board’s possession; Assistance with formulating questions to gather information from the board of nursing investigator to clarify the board’s position or theory of wrongdoing; Preparing the nurse to speak with the investigator without incriminating themselves; Assistance in writing rebuttal letters to the nursing board’s initial complaint, and later to proposed and any amended charges; Assistance with answering any correspondence from the board of nursing; Assistance with arranging either requested by the board of nursing, or to support the nurse’s defense, such things as toxicology testing, polygraphs, or personality testing (i.e. MMPI); Assistance with generally working up a case defense; Assistance in preparing the nurse for an informal hearing and testifying at informal hearings in the nurse’s defense (we have all participated in informal hearings) and, Attending board of nursing hearings and State Office Of Administration Hearings, formal hearings or mediation and testifying as a consultant in the defense of the nurse (We have participated in hearings and mediation). We do not insist you have an attorney if you cannot afford one, though we recommend you plan to hire an attorney in the eventuality your case goes to an administrative hearing. Finding yourself having been reported to the board of nursing is one of the most anxiety producing and potentially costly experiences you will ever go through. There is however, hope and help available. We are your advocate and guide you through every step of the process. We have assisted nurses come to a successful resolution to a board of nursing action against their license. We can help you along the way and though we do not make any promises as to a particular outcome, we have been successful in helping nurses defeat charges against their license. We do not charge for our services. Instead we rely solely on donations from the nurses we help. Not charging for our assistance in no way limits our commitment to helping you. We are dedicated to doing all we can to support you and assist you in dealing effectively with the board of nursing. Below are recommendations from nurses we helped defeat an action against their license: “ With my unjust dealings with a nursing board ruling against me with impunity, I feel so blessed to have found Darlene Nelson. She had my back every step of the way, including helping me write my request for reconsideration letter to the board after their baseless ruling. I’m lucky enough to have had a positive outcome as the board capitulated and withdrew their ruling. I could not have done this without Darlene’s help.” Tom Maxwell "Darlene and Associates have been an amazing resource while I’m dealing with the board of nursing. They literally are the first knowledgeable people who have listened to my entire situation while asking pointed and important questions. The Board has contacted not one person, not even me!, to see what the real story is. They have provided me with education on the process, a check list to make sure my lawyer has requested everything she has legal right to ask for, as well as codes backing up all of my decisions. I feel much more confident going in to my mediation and am planning on helping them see to it that the Nursing Board has appropriate oversight in the future to help other nurses. I can’t recommend these people enough. You NEED them on your side!" Michelle R Disclosure: We are not attorneys and in no way hold ourselves out as providing legal advice. We do not offer a referral service to specific attorneys or law firms.