Nurses can cope with stress and avoid board investigations. Working as a nurse can be very fulfilling. Every day, you help members of your community get back on their feet. What many people don’t talk about is the severe stress it can cause, especially with long hours and shortage of qualified nurses. If you are still in school, you can find it equally as stressful, as you deal with mountains of homework and training. Stress can cause mental and physical repercussions which drives some nurses to the edge.
Reducing Stress and Burn-out
It is a great feeling to know you spent your day helping others. However, being a nurse comes with a great deal of stress and frustration. Facilities are short staffed, and nurses deal with shortage, while also taking care of the sick and dying. All of this can take a toll, both physically and mentally. As a result, many nurses suffer from burnout. They no longer find joy in the profession they were once passionate about, or they fall prey to negative coping mechanisms that put the career they worked so hard for at risk.
What triggers a nursing license investigation?
Substance abuse may help temporarily relieve stress, but will cause serious problems with your nursing career. Abusing substances on a regular basis will cause your job performance to falter. Your coworkers and people close to you will notice a difference. If you are arrested on a substance abuse related charge such as DWI or possession of drugs, this can cause issues with the Texas Board of Nursing. A Texas Nursing License Application or Renewal requires you to disclose all arrests regardless of how the case was disposed of. If you misreport or attempt to hide a contact with law enforcement, a TBON investigation may be initiated. Failing a drug test could also trigger a TBON investigation.
Nursing and Substance Abuse
Substance abuse does not make you a bad person- or a bad nurse. However, in the eyes of the Texas Board of Nursing, it could make you a danger to your patients. These regulations were implemented to protect patients’ safety and to prevent accidents in the workplace. The Board’s charter is to protect the public, not protect your license. Although it is an important role- it can prove daunting to nurses who’ve made mistakes.
Support Groups for Nurses
Nurses need opportunities to cope in healthy ways with their stress and grief. With the advancement of technology and more awareness in the toll nursing stress takes on nurses, online support groups have emerged. These online support groups are designed to support nurses. Nurses can often find great local support groups that meet in person as well. Either way, spending time and sharing ways to cope with the stress of your nursing career is a healthy way to deal with the pressures of your job.
Nursing License Process – Applications and Renewals
It is critical to stay on top of your license renewal or application. Know the date of the renewal and find proper legal representation well before the deadline if you know a serious charge will appear on your background check. Remember, your career could be at stake if you make a mistake in your paperwork. Stay in the career you love and take some time to plan for your application or renewal.
Do I need an attorney to help with my nursing license renewal?
A TBON attorney can be a great asset for nurse with a criminal history. Attorneys know the processes and the pitfalls to avoid. While you take care of your patients, let a TBON attorney take care of your job security.
How Texas Nursing Lawyers Can Help
At Texas Nursing Lawyers, we have years of experience defending nurses and their license. We focus on nursing license defense, as well as nursing criminal defense. If you need help with criminal defense, TBON investigations, license renewals, reinstatements or applications, call us today at (214) 384-1902. We will be happy to schedule a consultation based on your needs.
See these pages for more on coping with nurse stress, criminal nurse defense and board investigations as well as why we have a nursing shortage. For more tips and information, follow us on Facebook.