Patient Care | The Health Law Firm Blog

North Florida Nurse Arrested for Neglecting Elderly Patient

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

An investigation led by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) ended with an arrest of a north Florida registered nurse (RN), in Suwannee County. The arrest was based on allegations of failing to assess and monitor a 94-year-old patient’s condition. The patient fell and broke her hip and shoulder, and later died.

Click here to see the full press release from the Attorney General’s (AG) Office.

RN Charged with Neglect and Falsifying Hospital Records.

According to the investigation, the RN allegedly failed to care for and monitor the condition of a 94-year-old woman. […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:10-04:00May 15, 2018|Patient Care|

Florida Woman Arrested for Allegedly Posing as a Nurse, Giving Botox Injections-For Second Time

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A Boca Raton, Florida, woman was arrested on June 21, 2013, after authorities say she posed as a nurse and offered Botox injections. The fake nurse has been charged with unlicensed practice of a health care professional. If found guilty, the phony nurse could be sentenced to up to five years in jail. This was a joint investigation between the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Investigative Services Unit, the City of Boca Raton Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections.

To read the press release from the DOH, click here.

Undercover Agents Visited Fake Nurse at […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:16-04:00May 15, 2018|Department of Health, Malpractice, Patient Care|

Nurses: Protect Yourself Against Medication Errors

Nurses face a busy schedule often including a long list of patients and extensive work hours. As a result, they can become overworked and overtired, which may lead to a higher risk of making a mistake when administering medication.

An Institute of Medicine (IOM) report titled To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System (IOM, Dec. 1999) states the deaths from medication errors that take place both in and out of hospitals, more than 7,000 annually, exceed those from workplace injuries. In a separate report, investigation by the Chicago-Tribune states that since 1995, at least 1,720 hospital patients have died and 9,548 others have been injured because of mistakes made by RN’s across the country (Associated Press, Sept. 10, 2000).

Because nurses usually are […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:54-04:00May 15, 2018|Medication, Patient Care, Prescription|

The “Seven Rights” of Patient Medication

There is a checklist every nurse should learn called the “Seven Rights of Medication.” If this checklist is memorized and followed in every case, medication errors would be significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Every nurse and nursing student should memorize this list and go through it in her mind every time a patient is administered a medication by the nurse. Always check for and confirm:

1. The right medication;

2. The right patient;

3. The right dose;

4. The right time;

5. The right route;

6. The right reason; and

7. The right documentation.

Adminstering medication is one of the major areas that an overworked nurse is at risk for making a mistake. Be sure to remember the items on this checklist, especially if you are feeling rushed. Taking […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:54-04:00May 15, 2018|Medication, Patient Care, Prescription|

Florida Nurse Accused of Abusing Patient

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A Florida State Hospital licensed practical nurse (LPN) has been arrested and charged with one count of abuse of a disabled adult at the facility. The nurse was arrested on a felony warrant by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). The arrest was announced by the Florida Attorney General on June 29, 2012.

Nurse Accused of Abusing Patient During Medication Administration.

The nurse allegedly struck a disabled woman at the mental health facility, while trying to administer medication. The nurse attempted to administer medications to the patient by holding her […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:55-04:00May 15, 2018|Defense, Discipline, Medication, Patient Care|

Florida Woman Arrested for Allegedly Stealing from Disabled Adults

By Dr. Thu Pham, O.D., Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm Attorney and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A former employee of an organization that provides services to developmentally disabled adults in Alachua County, Florida, was arrested on June 15, 2012, according to the Attorney General’s (AG) Office. The woman was arrested for allegedly stealing money from 11 clients in 2010 and 2011.

To see the press release from the AG, click here.

Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s (MFCU) Investigation Led to Arrest.

[…]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Discipline, Patient Care|

Almost 19% of Nurse Aides Charged with Abuse and Neglect, had Prior Criminal Records

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) on October 5, 2012, found that nineteen percent (19%) of long-term care nurse aides who were found guilty of on-the-job abuse, neglect or property theft in 2010 had prior criminal records that would have showed up on a background check.

Click here to read the entire report from the HHS OIG.

Report is Part of the Affordable Care Act Background Check Program.

Section 6201 of the Affordable Care Act establishes a background check program. This voluntary program gives grants […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Nurse Aide, Nurse License, Patient Care|

New Immigration Law in Georgia Slows Down License Renewal Process for Doctors and Nurses

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Hundreds of Georgia health providers are without a professional license to practice, because a new immigration law is causing massive backups in paperwork, according to a number of sources. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 or House Bill 87 went into effect on January 1, 2012, and requires every person to prove his or her citizenship or legal residency when the individual renews his or her license.

To read House Bill 87 in its entirety, click here.

With all of the extra paperwork required […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:56-04:00May 15, 2018|Nurse License, Patient Care|

Florida Senate Delays Broadening Baker Act Powers for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants-Calls for a Study

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Florida’s nurse practitioners and physician assistants were hopeful the Senate would vote to allow them to have the authority to order the involuntary commitment of a patient for mental-health evaluation under the Baker Act. However, instead on April 15, 2013, the Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee passed the formation of a work group to figure out how to improve the more than 40-year-old Florida mental health act.

Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants Want to Broaden Their Powers.

Currently, nurse practitioners and physician assistants can perform an evaluation, but cannot sign off on voluntary or involuntary […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:58-04:00May 15, 2018|Nurse Practitioner, Patient Care|

Nurses Fight for Lawmakers to Relax Laws Requiring Doctors to Oversee Their Work

By Carole C. Schriefer, R.N., J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

There’s a controversial tug-of-war in the health care industry. According to The Washington Post, in 11 states nursing groups are pushing legislation that would permit nurses with master’s degrees or higher to order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications and administer treatments without the supervision of a physician. Similar legislation is likely to be introduced in three other states. Currently, each state decides how much supervision nurses must receive from physicians.

This legislation faces strong opposition from physicians, led by the American Medical Association (AMA). […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:58-04:00May 15, 2018|CRNA, Nurse Practitioner, Patient Care, Prescription|