If you are a nurse and have been charged with a DUI or other criminal offense, there are specific reporting rules you must abide by in order to keep your license in good standing.  This applies to professional nurses, practical nurses and licensed dietitian-nutritionists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

According to the bulletin, (you can read the full document at http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol45/45-42/1827.html ) which is in effect as of October 17, 2015, nurses must:

(a) Notify the Board of pending criminal charges within 30 days of the filing of the criminal charges or on the biennial renewal application, whichever is sooner.

(b) Notify the Board of a criminal conviction, plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or an admission into a probation without verdict or accelerated rehabilitative disposition program within 30 days of the disposition or on the biennial renewal application, whichever is sooner.

(c) Notify the Board of disciplinary action in the nature of a final order taken against the registered nurse by the licensing authority of another state, territory or country within 90 days of receiving notice of the disciplinary action, or on the biennial renewal application, whichever is sooner.

If you are a nurse in Pennsylvania and have been charged with a crime, especially if it is a DUI, a DUID (driving under the influence of drugs), a drug charge (drug possession or a small amount of marijuana), or a charge related to prescription medication, for the sake of your career, you contact a highly skilled attorney immediately before doing anything else.  Depending on the crime and your disciplinary history, your license may be in jeopardy.

For a free consultation please call 1-866-MCSHANE.  We have a tremendous amount of experience helping nurses with criminal cases and DUIs.

Justin McShane

PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.