On August 26, 2020, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) released an article authored by AJC journalist Rose Kennedy, and it features Attorney Hahnah Williams, Esq, RN who addresses some key steps nurses can take to protect their nursing licenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, Ms. Williams suggests that nurses:
- Recognize that Georgia is a mandatory reporting state meaning that state law requires certain nurses and employers of nurses to report the names any nurse to the Board if there is a reasonable cause to believe that the nurse has violated any grounds for discipline provided in the Nurse Practice Act. This law applies regardless if the nurse has been terminated or resigns to avoid termination. (O.C.G.A. 43-26-52);
- Understand the two types of claims that might be brought against you: medical malpractice in state court and license complaints before the Board of Nursing;
- Be familiar with your employer’s policies and procedures as it relates to nursing practice, including chain of command, confidentiality, social media, and communications;
- Take the time to get familiar with your hospital’s COVID policies;
- Take continuing education courses related to the laws that govern nursing practice in your state;
- Get an individual insurance police with license protection benefits, which covers more than employer policies and can be as low as $150-$200 a year; and
- Seek legal advice immediately if you believe you have been reported to the Board of Nursing or if a Board of Nursing investigator contacts you.
The full article can be read here.
Hahnah Williams is an attorney, registered nurse, and advocate in Atlanta, Georgia who represents healthcare professionals in professional license, criminal, and business matters at Hahnah Williams, Attorney at Law, P.C. Posted in AJC Pulse, a digital magazine for nurses in t