professional license

Nursing is an honorable yet demanding profession, requiring technical skill and strict adherence to legal and ethical standards. Nurses in California are held to particularly high standards under the law due to the sensitive nature of their work. They must handle vulnerable patients, medications, and sensitive information daily, often in high-stress situations. And unfortunately, these high stakes sometimes mean if a mistake or misunderstanding occurs, it can sometimes lead to criminal charges–especially in situations where controlled substances are mishandled, or patients become victims–requiring the nurse to seek help from a California criminal defense attorney. Let’s take a closer look at some of the applicable California statutes under which a nurse might find themselves facing criminal charges.

Drug-Related Offenses

While most nurses don’t prescribe medications (the exception being nurse practitioners or NPs), they do have responsibilities to handle and administer controlled substances on behalf of patients. Missteps in this area can lead to charges such as the following:

Being arrested and charged with domestic violence in California can wreak havoc on your life in many ways. You may have a protective order against you that forbids you from contact with your significant other and possibly your children. You may be forced from your home. You may have to change your daily habits and routines to avoid running into the person. You may face fines and jail time. But the repercussions can extend even beyond these complications—even as far as your career. As many licensed professionals have learned the hard way, a domestic violence conviction can ultimately result in having your professional license suspended or revoked.

Doctors are required to maintain an immaculate record of integrity for their patients’ safety. Lawyers have the duty to uphold justice for all parties involved in a legal proceeding without prejudice or bias. Nurses must provide care that is both competent and compassionate while maintaining confidentiality at all times. And so on. All of these professions, along with many others, require practitioners to maintain high ethical standards as well as demonstrate professionalism through their conduct at work–even off duty. Being charged with domestic violence puts all that integrity into question largely because it’s considered a “crime of moral turpitude”–that is a crime that involves dishonesty or intentional harm, and one that carries harsher penalties than other types of crimes.

If you are a licensed professional in California (e.g., doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, CPA, etc.), you need to be aware of the possible consequences a domestic violence conviction could have on your career. Let’s explore this issue in greater detail.

Articles Tagged with professional license

Criminal Defense for Nurses Accused of Crimes in California

Can a Domestic Violence Arrest Impact Your Professional License?