Florida Nurses must self-report any plea to criminal charges

When a Florida nurse faces discipline for a criminal matter, often a minor criminal matter such as a misdemeanor, the nurse is usually able to resolve the case. However, if the resolution of the criminal matter results in a criminal plea by the nurse, the Florida nurse who entered into a criminal plea must file a self-report with the Florida Board of Nursing within 30 days of the plea regardless of adjudication. Failure to self-report will likely lead to a separate violation of the Florida statutes and codes related to nursing and the Florida Board of Nursing will likely add an additional count to any Administrative Complaint filed against the nurse based upon the criminal plea and subsequent failure to report. This means that instead of the nurse facing just one count of violating a statute or code when the Board of Nursing considers disciplining the nurse’s license, that the nurse will now face two separate counts – one for the criminal plea and one for the failure to report. This can lead to more severe sanctions and discipline against the nurse’s license. Hiring an experienced administrative law attorney can help avoid pitfalls and assist with nursing self-reports to ensure the nurse remains in compliance with the Board.