Alabama Nursing License Defense Attorney

As a RN or LPN you have invested thousands of dollars as well as years in obtaining your nursing license and pursuing your career. You depend on your nursing license as a means of earning a living and to provide for your family. If you are under investigation by the Alabama Board of Nursing or have a disciplinary matter before the Alabama Board of Nursing, you should take the matter seriously.

 Do not allow yourself to be told by the Board investigators that you do not need legal representation or that the matter is a simple fact-finding inquiry. It is important to realize that the Board's interest is protecting the public's safety and they are therefore advocating on behalf of the public's safety and welfare. It is not the mission of the Alabama Board of Nursing to protect your nursing license or advocate on your behalf. Often, nurses allow themselves to believe that the matter is only fact finding and as long as they cooperate with the investigation everything will be OK. Often such statements are made by investigators at the onset of investigations. It is important to seek legal representation at the earliest possible stage. The Alabama Board of Nursing has attorney's representing their interest. You should have legal representation advocating for your interest. Keep in mind if you choose not to obtain legal counsel, you are by default representing yourself. Any time you speak with a Board investigator, provide a written statement to the Board, submit documents to the Board, or go to the Board for a sit down meeting to discuss the matter, you are essentially representing yourself. As such you are outside your area of expertise and easily overmatched by Board investigators and attorneys with years of experience conducting investigations and prosecuting disciplinary actions on behalf of the Board.

You need to consult with an attorney experienced with representing nurses in such matters as close to the onset of the proceedings as possible. Mr. Hutto believes it is extremely important that you consult with an attorney if you are under investigation or have other disciplinary or licensure matters before the Board. Therefore, Mr. Hutto offers initial free consultation via email or phone. Simply fill out the free nursing license defense consult form and submit or call the Law Office of John Hutto at (256 335-4425) or email at johnhuttoattorney@yahoo.com to discuss your case with an experienced health care licensure defense attorney.

Nurses usually go into the field of nursing because they value the opportunity to serve patients and participate in their treatment and recovery. If your nursing license is under investigation by the Alabama Board of Nursing, you deserve the opportunity to defend your ability to work.

At the Law Office of John Hutto, we represent nurses throughout Alabama who are facing investigations and revocation proceedings with the Alabama State Board of Nursing. We offer the option of phone or email consultations to prospective clients throughout Alabama. Contact Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Lawyer, John Hutto at (256) 335-4425, email at johnhuttoattorney@yahoo.com or fill out the Schedule a Phone Consultation form to reserve a time to speak directly with Mr. Hutto regarding your case.

Providing legal guidance to Alabama Nurses throughout the investigation, hearing and appeal process.

When allegations are made that against a nurse, those allegations are investigated by the Alabama Board of Nursing. It is important to remember that nurses who are being investigated have a right to be represented by an attorney.

The Alabama State Board of Nursing regulates:

• Licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
• Registered nurses (RNs)
• Nurse practitioners (NPs)
• Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)
• Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs)
• Certified nurse midwives (CNMs)

If allegations have been made about the quality of your nursing or any other issue that could cause you to lose your nursing license, it is important to retain an Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Lawyer right away.

Even the most informal investigations, such as questioning by telephone by an Alabama Board of Nursing Investigator can have serious consequences later on. You should not speak to any nursing board investigators or board members without an attorney present.

Contact John Hutto, Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Lawyer.

If you've been given notice of an investigation into your nursing license, don't hesitate to John Hutto, Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Attorney at (256) 335-4425 or email at johnhuttoattorney@yahoo.com for a free consultation.

You Should Call John Hutto, Alabama Nursing Defense Attorney if:

• You have received a notice of investigation from the Alabama Board of Nursing;
• You have been told to self-report to the Alabama Board of Nursing;
• You are planning to enter the Alabama Assistance Program for Nurses for chemical dependency (VDAP);
• You have been charged with a crime, even if it is unrelated to your nursing practice;
• You have a prior conviction and have not previously disclosed the conviction to the Alabama Board of Nursing;
• You are filing an application for licensure by endorsement or examination and you have a prior conviction and you are wondering how it may impact your license or career as a nurse;

• You are currently on probation with the Alabama Board of Nursing and you need legal assistance with meeting the terms and conditions of probation;
• Your nursing license is suspended and you need assistance with meeting the terms and conditions for reinstatement.

If any of these situations apply, you need to discuss your case with an attorney familiar with the investigative and disciplinary process of the Alabama Board of Nursing as soon as possible.  Contact John Hutto, Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Attorney at (256) 335-4425 to discuss your case or fill out the contact form and Mr. Hutto will be in touch with you soon.

Substance Abuse Investigation Defense

 If you are a licensed nurse and an investigation has been initiated against you because you are suspected of drug or alcohol dependency, you should consider contacting a nursing license defense lawyer immediately. Some nursing professionals may be hesitant about consulting with a nursing licensure defense attorney lawyer, thinking that doing so makes them look guilty. This is not the case. In fact, having an experienced nursing licensure defense lawyer representing your case can be a great benefit throughout your investigation by helping to clarify the charges against you and the possible defenses that you may pursue.

Voluntary Disciplinary Alternative Program (VDAP)

The Alabama Board of Nursing has a program in place for nurses with substance abuse and chemical dependency problems. The VDAP program allows nurses to get professional evaluation by a Board recognized Physician with expertise and experience treating addictions. The VDAP program is a valuable resource for nurses with substance abuse issues that allows them to avoid disciplinary actions by the Board while receiving the treatment they need. Although, VDAP is a great resource, it is intended for nurses with substance abuse issues and certain mental issues and requires strict adherence to the treatment plan and agreements which often involves Individual and group counseling, participation in a 12 step program, random drug screens throughout the program, and other treatment recommendations. The program is usually 3-5 years in length and can be expensive. Comprehensive evaluation fees by physicians and treatment centers may cost $2000-$6000 depending on length of program. Monitoring fees at the beginning of the program usually cost $1000. Required drug screens may cost $100-$200 dollars per test depending on lab and panels required by the Board. These test are usually required throughout the program which may be 3-5 years in length. The frequency of the test may be monthly, twice a month, weekly, or according to individual agreement. The cost of these test over time can be significant. Additionally, the cost of counseling and other requirements can be expensive and ongoing throughout the program. Although, participation in VDAP is a valuable resource for nurses with substance abuse issues, the expense and requirements to complete are quite high and nurses should be fully aware of the cost, requirements for completion, and monitoring requirements before signing up for the program.

 John Hutto, Alabama Nursing Licensure Defense Attorney, is prepared to assist you with your case to help you see that your investigation is resolved with the best outcome possible. Once you hire a lawyer, the nursing board conducting your investigations will not be allowed to contact you during the inquiry. This means that you will not be responsible for answering any questions about your drug or alcohol history directly; these issues will be fielded by Mr. Hutto to ensure that your defense and legal rights are upheld.

 The Alabama Board of Nursing Investigation Process:

The process usually begins with the Alabama Board of Nursing receiving a complaint. The complaint may be filed by anyone. Sometimes it is a co-worker, the nurse’s employer, a patient, or a family member of a patient. It is not unheard of for even a spouse involved in a divorce or custody battle to file an anonymous complaint in an attempt to gain leverage.

Once the Alabama Board of Nursing receives a complaint, an investigator is assigned to review the complaint. Often times the investigator is not a nurse. The Nurse will receive a letter from the Alabama Board of Nursing notifying the Nurse that a complaint has been filed. The letter will contain a case number that references your case and will give you some instructions such as to notify the Board of Nursing if your nursing employment or address changes. It will also ask you to contact the investigator to discuss the case. In my opinion, before calling the investigator you need to discuss your case with an attorney who handles nursing licensure defense. Often investigators for the Board of Nursing will ask seemingly innocent questions and or will appear to be friendly and understanding in an effort to get you to open up to them. It is important to remember that anything you say can later be used against you. Many times a nurse will call the investigator in an effort to resolve the matter and inadvertently end up saying something that is detrimental to their case. Other nurses will simply ignore the letter and hope the situation will resolve itself. Neither approach is recommended. If you choose to ignore the letter, weeks or months may go by, but odds are you will eventually receive a notice that a formal complaint will be filed and a hearing scheduled. Usually, the Board of Nursing will at the same time offer a consent agreement, basically stating that the nurse admits the allegations and accepts whatever disciplinary actions are offered in the consent agreement. If you have not already done so, you definitely should consult an attorney at this point. Often nurses will accept the consent agreement as offered just to resolve the matter and avoid a hearing. Afterwards many nurses regret the decision and request a hearing, only to find out that by agreeing to the consent order, they effectively admitted the "finding of facts" contained therein and more importantly waived their right to appeal the matter. Remember, even if you are willing to accept a consent order, you still need an attorney to represent you. Often an attorney can negotiate a better deal than you could on your own.

The Alabama Board of Nursing Disciplinary Hearing:

 If an agreement cannot be reached, the Board of Nursing will issue a formal complaint and notify the nurse that a hearing has been set. It is important at this stage to retain an attorney, if you have not already done so. You have the right to represent yourself at the hearing, but I do not recommend it. The hearing is an adversarial by nature and you need legal counsel to protect your rights. The hearing usually is held at the Alabama Board of Nursing which is located in the RSA Plaza in downtown Montgomery. The hearing usually takes place in a large conference room at the Board of Nursing. Usually several hearings are held on the same day. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) who is usually a local attorney in Montgomery presides over the hearing. The hearing begins by having the formal complaint read. Then the Alabama Board of Nursing presents it case through its Attorneys. They usually have the person who made the complaint testify then call witnesses. You may, through your attorney or own your on cross-examine the Board's Witnesses. After the Board of Nursing presents its case, the nurse can then present their case by introducing their evidence and calling witnesses. Afterwards, both sides present a summation of the parties (closing argument) then the AOJ consider the evidence and makes a ruling and submits findings to the Board of Nursing. If the nurse does not agree with the decision, they may file an appeal with Circuit Court in Montgomery.

Protect Your Rights:

 Have you been contacted by the Alabama Board of Nursing notifying you that a complaint has been filed against you? If so, you need to call John Hutto, Nursing Licensure Defense Attorney. Mr. Hutto is a Nurse Attorney. He represents nurses across Alabama in actions involving the Alabama Board of Nursing. For Nurses, professionally speaking, there's hardly anything RN' s LPN' s and APN's fear more than a disciplinary notice from the Alabama Board of Nursing. After all, most nurses are hard-working dedicated professionals performing demanding jobs often under demanding working conditions.

Contact Us

With your livelihood and reputation at stake, don’t enter into an investigation without the representation of an experienced nursing license defense attorney. John Hutto is prepared to provide sound legal advice and assistance throughout your case so that you are backed by the best defense possible. To learn more about how he can provide you with the legal counsel that you need to get through this difficult time, contact the Law Office of John Hutto today at 256-335-4425 , email johnhuttoattorney@yahoo.com   or fill out and submit the Free Nursing License Defense Consult Request form and Mr. Hutto will be in touch with you soon to discuss your matter.