(Newswire.net — September 6, 2022) —
We can all agree that nurses and other healthcare practitioners endure workplace situations to provide quality healthcare to patients. Not only do they have to attend to many patients with varying conditions, but they also have to deal with a lot of administrative work to ensure everything is managed correctly. Despite it all, nurses often face lawsuits from patients due to unfortunate happenings, which sometimes may not be their fault.
In such situations, nurses may need legal representation. While a nurse can choose from the thousands of lawyers out there, most prefer their legal difficulties handled by a nurse attorney since they understand the nursing field better. Hiring a capable and experienced nurse attorney from a reputable and trusted firm like PCS Law when faced with legal challenges can go a long way in helping you avoid reputational and financial damage and stress. Here are six reasons why you should hire a nurse attorney:
1. Medical malpractice Investigations
As earlier mentioned, nurses work to the best of their ability to improve and restore patients’ to their health. This includes providing quality care to patients with severe illnesses like cancer to improve their physical and mental quality of life. However, nurses are often faced with accusations of medical malpractice. This can be complaints concerning medical malpractice or professional negligence, which they may or may not be responsible for.
As a nurse, when a person reports a complaint against you or you’re summoned to appear before the state board of nursing for an investigation can be incredibly stressful. Oftentimes, such complaints come with serious ramifications that could lead to losing your license or even reputational damage. A nurse attorney can help assess your case and advise you on the ideal approach to counter the complaint. They represent you throughout the investigation process to persuade the board to eliminate the complaints and close the case without taking further disciplinary action against you.
2. Disciplinary Hearing
If you’re summoned for a hearing before the board, seeking the help of an experienced nurse attorney can be critical to your success. Strong evidence of rehabilitation and mitigation will be crucial in this stage of your case. The good thing is that nurse attorneys have the resources to collect evidence, including contact witnesses and documents, which could reinforce your defense. Your attorney will present all the evidence required to convince the board, protecting your rights and ensuring you get fair treatment.
If the nursing board finds you at fault and issues a sanction, you can depend on your lawyer to file an appeal on your behalf. They will fight your case in different judicial courts and review boards. Since nurse attorneys understand the details and complexities of the board’s regulations and laws, they know how to best represent you in the proceedings to ensure your case reaches a favorable resolution.
3. Difficult Work Environment
Besides medical malpractice accusations, nurses are often required to perform under difficult work conditions, which can be stressful. Most times, nurses work longer than they’re supposed to, especially when there are many emergency cases or the facility is understaffed. Mandatory shifts and lack of breaks during a shift are other challenges that nurses usually face at their workplaces. Working long hours can be mentally and physically taxing and affect the quality of care nurses provide.
This can be a huge problem, especially if it’s mandatory or your job is threatened if you don’t work overtime. If you have to work overtime and you’re not rewarded for it, hiring a nurse attorney can help you get fair pay and leave opportunities. Your nurse attorney can even help you obtain extra benefits for your services.
Apart from working overtime, nurses are also at risk of various injuries and diseases. They are more likely to experience back injuries due to lifting patients. As a nurse, you’re also at risk of contracting diseases when handling harmful substances like needlesticks and hazardous chemicals or attending to patients with infectious diseases, like the coronavirus. Your nurse attorney can help ensure your facility upholds the safety requirements in the workplace. They can also work with your facility’s risk management department to ensure that healthcare policies and safe practices are followed.
4. Understaffing
Staffing shortages is one of the biggest issues nurses face at their workplaces. Most facilities try to save money by reducing the number of nurses, compromising the quality of care. When you’re understaffed, you may have to work long hours, attend to several patients with different conditions simultaneously, and deal with administrative work.
Working in such conditions can be challenging and could easily lead to medical errors and missed care. You’re also likely to experience burnout and stress, making it difficult to perform at work. If you work in an understaffed facility and don’t address the issue, a nurse attorney can communicate the issue with practice and ensure adequate staffing.
5. Workplace Harassment and unlawful termination
As a nurse, you may experience harassment and violence at work. This can include verbal abuse, inappropriate touching, and even bullying from your supervisors, doctors, colleagues, or patients. Workplace harassment can create a hostile and uncomfortable working environment for you and can take a physical and emotional toll on you, making it difficult to perform your duties. A nurse lawyer can help you get resolution when faced with workplace harassment issues by filing a complaint against those harassing you.
Additionally, a nurse attorney can be the best advocate for you if you’re unjustly or without reason terminated from work. Your lawyer can help counter your unlawful termination or workplace retaliation. This could help you get your job back and even seek compensation for unlawful employment practices.
Endnote
Nurse attorneys offer a wide range of services that can benefit you as a nurse. Not only can they defend you against malpractice allegations and protect your rights when you face unfair working conditions, but they also help uphold regulatory compliance for medical facilities. They also advocate for policies that will improve the quality of care offered to patients.